Destined to Love
by Chigiri Sasaki
Summary: He was a prodigy, with a damaged past and no future. She was a commoner, with a hidden secret. Strung together by fate, it was only a matter of time before she changed his life forever. AU, NejiTen
1. New Beginnings

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything of Naruto.

**Destined to Love****  
**_By: Chigiri Sasaki _

Summary: He was a prodigy, with a damaged past and no future. She was a commoner, with a hidden secret. Strung together by fate, it was only a matter of time before she changed his life forever. AU, NejiTen

**Chapter One**

"I refuse."

The short phrase that was seethed through perfectly straight teeth was uncommonly strong, but not quite loud enough to reveal the underlying anger and irritation of the speaker. There was no tremor from uncontrolled or vehement passion, no offering of particularly prepared flowers to sweeten his words—there was only the sharpness of his voice, the venomous aura he emitted and the piercing gaze that would penetrate deep enough to make anybody shudder from fear.

In other words, if he had had lesser control over his reactions, even Hyuuga Hiashi himself would have winced. The flat reply was something he wouldn't often hear from his nephew, Hyuuga Neji.

Neji had always been a top-of-the-line shinobi; he was one to accept orders wordlessly and follow their requirements with ease and grace. He was an intelligent strategist that had been blessed with the most talent in his clan; in fact, he was known as the the clan's prodigy. So it was only natural that his refusal was taking his clan by surprise.

"I refuse," the sixteen-year-old repeated, his voice nearly trembling with anger, almost betraying the emotionless expression that graced his pale features. He knew he was obliged to regard Hiashi with utmost respect and courteous manners at all times, but he couldn't help but leave the harsh bitterness evident in his voice. "I refuse to marry that woman!"

The sun's brilliant rays shone into the Hyuuga estate, illuminating particles of dust that would not otherwise be seen in the pristine mansion. The light that was pouring in shafts permeated the locks of his dark, auburn hair, causing the tips of it to glow like golden threads. The soft breeze, albeit chilly, carried the moisture and crisp scent of late summer. The warm rush of cool air rustled his long, russet locks, causing the loose strands to flutter smoothly in waves with each caress.

Despite the quiescent weather, Neji stood motionlessly in the centre of attention, his eyes frosty and his aura cold. He was surrounded by the Hyuuga Elders that had gathered a few minutes ago for a meeting. They were all peering curiously at the sixteen-year-old boy, wondering what had possessed the naturally compliant boy.

"Neji," Hiashi countered carefully, "you will not be married to her right away. Only an engagement will be arranged, which will only take place after you become acquainted with her. Furthermore, it's a tradition that Hyuugas choose their wife at the age of sixteen. Your birthday passed weeks ago."

"I will not be married to anyone whom I do not know. And also, by being familiar with the traditions, I know that I have to agree to the contract before it is legitimate. So I refuse. I reject this proposal and my decision will not change."

"B-but Neji-nii-san," Hinata stuttered softly, "she's the best option you have." She gasped when she felt the weight of everyone's attention on her. She had planned to further reason with her older cousin, but just the quick flicker of his disapproving glare was more than enough to silence her. She instantly lowered her gaze, dropping it to look back at her pale hands.

"I have two more years until I become a legal adult. Can I not decide then?" The prodigy stared at the older man expectantly.

"No, because you have to be married by then."

"I don't see your point."

"You are supposed to be engaged right now, Neji." A look of distress had already swept across the clan head's wrinkly features, and he sighed as he closed his eyes. He decided to take a more relaxed approach. "You know you have to choose someone anyway, so why not choose now? Mikya is a great woman who comes from a good family."

"If she's so great, then she should marry someone without a curse mark."

Hiashi dismissed the sardonic retort. "It is an honour that she has chosen you, above everybody else. She is definitely a wonderful woman, as indicated by the number of suitors who are currently pursuing her; she's a lovely, young lady."

"Opinions are subjective."

"This is not an argument," an Elder admonished. His eyes were grave. "We are simply informing you of the decision we have already made. You only have the right to choose a wife, and even then, the woman you choose must be approved by the rest of the clan. Furthermore, you have no say in our decision to introduce you to a suitable candidate."

The sixteen-year-old stared briefly at the Elder, Hideki. "There is no point in bringing someone over if I'm not going to accept her."

"You cannot change the clan's traditions," Hiashi said tiredly. He knew first-hand how unfavourable it was to marry someone by force, but all male Hyuugas had to be engaged at the age of sixteen and married two years later. Yet despite knowing this, Neji had flatly declined all offers from any country's lords, refusing to even meet any daughter they had. It was impossible that he had an affair with someone else, seeing that he was strangely cold around everybody.

"My refusing to meet this girl is not changing anything."

"Think about it," Hiashi tried again. "She's a lovely girl and marrying her has more than one advantage. Because her father is a powerful ruler, forming an alliance with their country will protect the clan in many ways. Please give this a little consideration. Do it for yourself_—_do it for the clan."

The instant Neji's eyes narrowed, Hiashi regretted his choice of words in his attempt to coax the Hyuuga prodigy. The clan, if anything, was a deterrent for someone who attributed his parents' deaths to it. The air suddenly grew heavy and suffocating. Hiashi smiled bleakly, suddenly feeling much more like a contrite uncle than an authoritative leader. "Neji_—_"

"You want to say that it is my duty to serve the clan," Neji cut in listlessly, his eyes blank. His voice was the only thing that was betraying his expression; his voice was free of the pain that had once wrenched his insides, yet it still contained the dull notes of a seemingly lifelong, acrimonious grudge. He let out a single laugh. "Is this what you told my parents?"

Before anyone could protest or even utter another word, he left the room, his long hair snapping behind him. He had walked away ineffably quickly; no traces of impact were left to suggest he had actually been there in the first place, refusing to marry a woman.

"That certainly went well," Hiashi muttered. "That boy is impossible to deal with."

"More like you are far too lenient," an Elder nearby said. "The fact that he is your nephew hinders your ability to be authoritative."

"He wouldn't be this bitter if you told him the truth," another one commented. "He still thinks Hizashi died for the clan's purposes."

"That is not the solution," another member of the council argued. "Neji is naturally spiteful about everything. I doubt anything could change his attitude."

"Not telling him was a wise idea," Hideki added. "Look how strong he has become. If he hadn't been so traumatised he wouldn't have put so much energy into training."

As the Elders continued to discuss and murmur about this impossible boy, Hiashi started to rub his temples. Despite what he had said about Neji, the Hyuuga leader couldn't blame the young lad for being difficult on an occasion like this. He knew that his heart was filled with nothing but remorse for the main household and the restrictions it put on him. His tragic past had caused him to be this way; at the age of four, he had witnessed both the death of his father and the disappearance of his mother. Had anyone expected him to be a normal child after that?

The fact that he, too, like his parents, was bound to the duties of the branch family didn't help either. There were traditions to which he had to adhere; like all the other members of the branch family, he only served to protect the main household. It was unfortunate that someone as strong as him would ultimately be a sacrifice, but what could be done?

The clan leader couldn't help but sigh again, feeling much older than his actual age. His enigmatic ivory eyes were now dull and filled with despair. His gaze shifted to the sky, which was coloured a silky blue, enveloping the earth with its gentle embrace. He, despite the perfect weather, frowned. While the fleecy clouds seemed to chase one another, so carefree and unfettered, he was imprisoned by the many responsibilities tied to his position as the Hyuuga clan's leader.

Somehow, he felt that the search for the right girl was hopeless. Who could possibly change Neji's outlook of the world?

Neji had all the attributes of a strong ninja, but Hiashi knew something wasn't right. The sixteen-year-old had a face that was constantly cold and commanding. He had lines under his eyes and a burden on his shoulders far too heavy for someone his age to support. He lacked the desire to appreciate anything. He ultimately needed to spend more time with friends, but Hiashi didn't know how anyone could endure his piercing glare and his rude remarks.

The clan head was in the middle of cursing under his breath when an advertisement flew in through the window. His tumultuous predicament made him want to rip it to shreds, but he stopped short of doing so when he saw a picture of a girl.

Said photograph had a lithe girl in it; she was standing by a beautiful cherry blossom tree, leaning on its hard, sturdy trunk. The pink loosened petals from the tree drifted around her, some finding an attachment to her hair, some in her clothes, yet she didn't seem to mind any of it.

Her long, silky brown hair was wrapped into two charming buns atop of her head, adding a touch of childishness to her personality. She wore a Chinese-styled top, the collar encircling her long, porcelain neck. She was a ninja, without a doubt—the large weapon scroll she was holding was the main indicator. Her dark red pants ended after her knees, revealing the creamy white skin that had remained soft after years of training.

The corners of her lips were curved into a smile and her head was tilted to the side. Her large brown eyes stared back at Hiashi and the warm, comforting, chocolatey eyes seemed to ease the knots in his stomach.

It was just a photo, above a caption that claimed that she was a skilled ninja and willing to complete missions for money, but Hiashi himself was taken back by the weight—the significance, rather, of the entire situation. Maybe it was the temerity in her eyes, or the way she looked like she could complement Neji perfectly, but it felt like the Fates were already working something out. Hiashi, for the first time in months, relaxed, and felt triumphant. Yes, he concluded, she had to be the one. Curving his lips into a smile, he murmured, "Perfect."

* * *

"Perfect." A tall girl with two buns tied neatly atop of her head smiled proudly when she examined her target board: a tree on which she used a blade to mark multiple targets. As usual, her aim was flawless, even at varying distances, angles and launching speeds. She sighed in satisfaction as she looked around her training area; the entire lot was littered with sharp weapons. Her weapon-summoning skills were improving and it was getting easier for her to control the heavy ones. She was pretty good, especially for someone who had not been officially trained.

"Hello."

The sixteen-year-old instantly swivelled in the speaker's direction, her right hand already at the knife strapped to her thigh. She was about to launch her weapon when she realised that the speaker was the leader of the venerable Hyuuga clan. She blinked twice before bowing humbly. "Hyuuga-sama."

"Please, call me Hiashi." The tall man smiled. "Tenten, right?"

"Yes, that's me."

"Sorry for intruding. I did not know you would be training after sundown."

"I like training in the dark," she explained, both embarrassed and animated at once. "It helps one rely less on sight."

"Ah," Hiashi mused with a smile, "that is something my nephew would say."

The brunette could only nod. She was still slightly flabbergasted and confused as to why such an important figure would be conversing with her.

"I must say, Tenten, it is quite clever of you to reside so far away from the village. There is so much more space to train here."

"It is quite nice here," she agreed, gesturing towards the open area. "Quiet, too."

Hiashi smiled again, as if she had just proven her compatibility with his nephew. He fished a piece of paper out of his pocket. "You handed out these advertisements I presume?"

Tenten nodded emphatically, finally realising the reason for his presence. "Is there anything that I can do for you?"

"This is perhaps not the mission you've been hoping for, but would you like to become acquainted with my nephew?"

* * *

**A/N:** First chapter to my first multi-chaptered story! I feel so proud of myself, even if I did only write one chapter haha. Lots more to come, and lots of characters as well. Quick note: Neji is cold and in the dark about everything in this story. So pretend that Neji beat Naruto during the Chuunin exams and still doesn't know the truth behind his father's death.

I'd love to hear from you! :)

Much love,  
Chigiri Sasaki

_Posted May 2007, edited July 2013. _


	2. First Encounter

**Chapter Two**

A series of multi-hued colours gleamed against a silver blade as it whipped through the air. A broad figure whirled around the garden swiftly, spinning the long sword with a set of capable, agile hands whilst performing a sequence of complex moves. The figure then threw the sword into the air, where he caught it with ease. Then, without a moment of hesitation, he twisted his body and leapt again into the air, flipping twice and giving one last kick before landing on the ground gracefully.

Hyuuga Neji didn't pant the slightest bit.

He instantly resumed his training, sitting back into a traditional Hyuuga offensive stance, preparing to try a newer technique that he had recently taught himself. Sliding his sword smoothly back into its sheath, he closed his eyes to concentrate. As a Hyuuga, mastering his chakra flow was imperative. Needless to say, he knew very well that he had already used up most of it, but he wasn't going to stop anytime soon. It was only a little past noon with the sun shining at its peak. Albeit sunny, the late-summer weather was cool and offered him the perfect opportunity to train. He hadn't even stopped to eat lunch; in fact, he had been training non-stop since the crack of dawn.

"Hakke Kūshō!"

A focused burst of chakra instantly formed at the palm of his hand. Neji inwardly smirked, knowing fully well that he would soon master this technique. Veins rippled across the sides of his face as his eyes suddenly snapped open, focused intently on an imaginary opponent. He promptly thrust his palm at it while expelling all the chakra he had left in him. The ball of chakra sliced through the air, whipping and whirling like a tornado before hitting a wall of trees.

The prodigy watched in satisfaction as multiple trees simultaneously collapsed. He then paused for a moment when he heard faint footsteps heading towards him.

"Neji-nii-san! Neji-nii-san!"

The prodigy's head tilted downwards to face the younger sibling of the oldest Hyuuga heiress. Although he was cross at the annoying interruption, he acknowledged her presence with a polite nod. And then, in a formal tone, he asked, "What is it, Hanabi-sama?"

The little girl was breathless and huffing for air. Ignoring his growing impatience, she began flailing her arms everywhere and nearly hit him in the stomach. "Please tell me," she panted angrily, "that you did not agree to marry so early! Tell me you didn't invite that woman over! Just tell me that you did not agree!"

Neji raised an eyebrow at her outburst. "I haven't agreed to anything."

"Then why," Hanabi ranted on, waving a crumpled advertisement inches before his face, "is _this _girl coming over to live with us in our mansion? Father said that she was the perfect candidate for you, mumbling something about fate! But that's not the worst part—look! She's a commoner! She's a nobody! I don't want just anybody in our mansion! She's probably poor and looking for a sugar daddy, so she's selling herself with a pretty picture because she's secretly an ugly, old hag who's going to rob us! I've seen this in movies before. She'll start ordering me, and she'll eat all our food, and then life will become a living nightmare. Father even started saying stuff about marriage and—"

"Shut up."

Hanabi instantly quieted, immediately noticing that Neji's hands had balled into fists. An angered Neji was a rare sight, and a frightening one at it too. She took a step backwards even though she knew her cousin wouldn't lay a finger on her; it was simply an instinct to back off someone who was as dangerous as him. She couldn't blame him for being so enraged, though. It was a only natural reaction since Hiashi had blatantly dismissed his wishes. And on top of the unwanted engagement, Hiashi had paired him with a commoner which, in her book, was the ultimate insult. Who was this "Tenten", anyway? Was she a ninja? What if she was an enemy in disguise?

Before Hanabi could voice any of her concerns, Neji walked past her, pushing her out of his way. He tore past the hallways of the main family's section in the Hyuuga mansion. He didn't even notice an Elder's glance of disapproval.

The sixteen-year-old stormed towards the incensed room where Hiashi meditated everyday before lunch. Ignoring the fact that anybody could have been in there, Neji slid the door open and demanded, "What is the meaning of this?"

Every sense of logic within the teenager dissipated as his blood boiled with rage. He didn't know why his voice was louder than normal, or how he had lost his cool demeanour so easily, or why he was even jeopardising his position as the Hyuuga clan's most elite shinobi. After all, practically every male Hyuuga had to choose his fiancée by the age of sixteen. The engagement was something everyone had to go through, but something about it made Neji feel extremely unsettled.

Taking a deep breath, he willed himself to calm down but couldn't quite do so. "Who is this commoner whom you've chosen for me? If I refuse to marry a lord's daughter, what makes you think that I'll accept some filthy commoner?"

Hiashi stood up from his kneeling position. "Do not speak of such profanity, my nephew. Calm down."

"I don't understand," Neji stated bluntly.

"What is there to understand?"

"Hanabi-sama told me that you're considering a commoner."

Hiashi raised his eyebrows. "I thought you never pay heed to Hanabi and her antics."

"What she said makes sense. Either way, I'm not going to engage to—much less marry—a woman whom I don't even know. I said that yesterday, did I not?"

"Yes, you did. However, the Elders are planning to bring Mikya over nonetheless. Neji, you know the benefits yourself." Hiashi gazed both pleadingly and steadily into his nephew's eyes. "Regardless of what you feel or say, your engagement to her is still expected."

"That's—I don't—if I'm forced to marry Mikya anyway, then why are you bringing over some pathetic commoner?"

"The girl I've contacted is neither a 'pathetic commoner' nor your future wife. I just do not believe that you will be able to survive without some peers to help you along the way. Friends, Neji. You need friends."

"Friends," the prodigy repeated incredulously.

Hiashi simply chuckled.

"You hired a _friend _for me?" Neji continued disbelievingly, doubting his uncle's sanity.

"Relationships are very important, and you never seem to get along with your teammates. That is why—"

"That's why you want me to become friends with a commoner. Who is she? How do we know she's not an enemy?"

"Her name is Tenten. I have done a background check on her and she doesn't seem to be suspicious. Besides, the clan can defend itself easily."

"Tenten," Neji repeated, however more to himself than anything else.

"That is right. Neji, think about it: the advantage is mutual. She needs to make a little bit of money and you need someone to train with. I hired her because I think she can teach you how to be more sociable and admire things. She will be your peer tutor, in a sense."

"No." The young Hyuuga found it unusually hard to regain his composure. "I will absolutely not carry through with this. Call this fool right now and tell her that the deal's off."

Hiashi cracked a smile. It wasn't one out of true happiness or a crooked one, but rather, it was a sympathetic smile, with the hopes of changing his cold-hearted nephew. "I cannot do that, Neji. She's already coming."

* * *

If Tenten had to make a list of the weirdest jobs she had ever accepted, babysitting Hyuuga Neji would probably top the list. She had received a myriad of requests after handing out a stack of flyers last weekend; from making trips to the market for elderly couples to performing missions for people who couldn't afford the Hokage's services, Tenten had done them all. Granted, they were all relatively small tasks and didn't require her leaving the country, but she had made enough money to last her a month.

The sixteen-year-old brunette stopped in her tracks when she spotted the Hyuuga mansion in the distance. Even though she was still quite far away from the actual entrance, she couldn't help but gape at the extravagance of it all. It was a known fact that the Hyuuga clan was one of the richest families in Konoha, but Tenten hadn't expected the manor to occupy an entire street. Everything outside the ornate, iron gates seemed to pale in comparison.

It took a moment for Tenten to snap out of her daze. She still couldn't believe that Hyuuga Hiashi had hired her to be a prodigy's peer tutor. She didn't know what to expect—or rather, what was expected of her, since she was only a self-trained ninja and didn't have much experience. "My nephew needs to communicate more," Hiashi had said. What did he mean by that?

Tenten bit her lip, suddenly feeling apprehensive. Was she in over her head? She wasn't some kind of psychiatrist. How was she supposed to help Neji break out of his shell? She wasn't exactly the most sociable person herself. In fact, the only reason why she had accepted the job so readily was the money Hiashi offered; anybody in a similar financial situation would have agreed in a heartbeat.

"Welcome," a relatively short man said as she reached the main entrance. He opened the gates for her, which swung open flawlessly.

"Thank you."

No, Tenten thought again after gazing into the guard's pearly eyes—a distinctive trait of all Hyuugas. There was another reason as to why she had to come to the Hyuuga mansion: _he_ could be here.

* * *

Neji's eyes blazed with vehement hatred.

He had no idea as to how he had been waiting so calmly in one of the clan's many guest rooms, or why he had agreed to meet this girl in the first place. Perhaps it was the pleading look in his uncle's eyes, which was something he hadn't seen before, or maybe it was the threat that a six-year-old Hyuuga had childishly posed. The little girl was a hopeless romantic and wanted the chance to witness a real-life fairy tale between "a prince and a peasant". Regardless of the idiotic way she had done it and her unrealistic expectations, everyone knew he could die easily—and instantly—at the hands of the main household. He inwardly sighed. He was known as the clan's prodigy, but he would always be ultimately powerless.

"Maybe she's morbidly obese, or really stupid," Hanabi snickered. "You know, she might look pretty in that picture, but you never know. That could be her friend or something."

Neji glared at his younger cousin upon hearing her words. If there was anything worse than being forced to wait for his future "friend", it would be being ridiculed while doing so. Everything about this arrangement was laughable; if it weren't for Hiashi, this girl would not be coming at all. The clan would never allow a peasant to set foot on Hyuuga grounds. The clan would never hire a friend for him, either.

"M-maybe she won't be so b-bad." Hinata's words of assurance weren't much of use. The Hyuuga heiress instantly gasped when she saw his hauntingly dark eyes and she quieted at once.

"There's no doubt that she wants our money," Hanabi concluded in triumph. "I'm telling you, she's going to rob us at night. So everybody, keep an eye open when you sleep."

"That is enough," Hiashi interposed gravely, casting a pointedly significant look at his youngest daughter. "Hanabi, I will ask you to leave if you continue with your antics. I asked you to greet our guest, not judge her."

The entire room was then engulfed in uncomfortable silence. No one uttered a word after Hiashi had spoken; Hinata was naturally quiet, Neji wasn't verbose, and Hanabi simply pouted from having been scolded. However, being the mischievous child she was, she began formulating a plan that included voodoo dolls to sabotage the new girl's chances with Neji.

The heavy silence was suddenly broken when Neji abruptly stood up. He muttered something incoherent before leaving the room, leaving the three other Hyuugas to wonder by themselves. Hinata and Hanabi exchanged puzzled looks.

Neji's heavy footsteps were heard throughout the corridor. He walked with his head hung low, unaware—no, he was rather careless as to what or whom he might bump into. His emotions were cleverly concealed by his emotionless eyes but inwardly, he was smouldering with rage. Everybody knew that Hiashi had gotten him a "friend" because he wanted her to become his wife if the engagement to Mikya were to fall through. The only thing that would make the implication more overt was if Hiashi were to voice his intention aloud. Did he really think he could fool anybody? If he did, then it was a pathetic attempt to cover a plan that would never work. Neji refused to even glance at her.

His train of thoughts were suddenly cut off when he collided into someone. Knowing that he was still in the territory of the head family, he instantly apologised but stopped short of offering a hand when he realised that he couldn't recognise the girl that had fallen to the floor.

Even though her head was still angled downwards, Neji could tell that the girl did not belong to the clan. She wore Chinese-styled clothing that loosely fit over her slender figure, and it was evident that she was a ninja since she had scrolls that stuck out of her pocket. An attacker, maybe? No, that was impossible. There was no way she could have gotten through the guards without a scratch.

Then realisation hit him like a jolt in the spine: this was Tenten.

She responded to the apology by raising her head upwards, opening her mouth to apologise as well, but no words came out. Their eyes met, aligning their visions, and that moment was long enough to crack the layers of emotions hidden within them both.

Neji's eyes widened for the briefest moment, ephemeral ivory boring into infinite chestnut. His hands were resting still by his side as he stared at her, breathing silently yet unevenly at the same time. The fact that she was still on the ground did not cross his mind.

The girl felt her breath hitch. Something about this young handsome man made her throat go dry, dry enough to make her unable to find any words to say. Something about his dark long hair, strong jaw line and his depths of ivory made her heart flutter—and it certainly was not because he was so handsome.

It was like time itself had stopped; they both stayed there motionlessly in their positions, completely paralysed from an invisible force, waiting for a needle, a pin, _something_ to drop to break the silence. They waited for something to change—for the clothing to melt into their skin, or the floor to catch on fire, or a star to fall out of the sky where they couldn't see from inside the elaborate Hyuuga mansion.

The girl's voice trembled with emotion. Whether it was from happiness or sorrow, she didn't know. At last, she whispered something quietly: two words just loud enough to reach to his ear before trailing off into the distance.

"It's you…"

* * *

**A/N:** Ouuuu cliffhanger! The story is starting off a bit slow but I don't want to miss anything! Details are important in my opinion, so bear with me. :) Reviews are greatly appreciated!

Much love,  
Chigiri Sasaki

_Posted May 2007, edited July 2013. _


	3. Harsh Reality

**Chapter Three**

Memories raced through his mind. Neji stood there, eyes slightly widened, completely paralysed by a mixture of fear and shock. He remembered her from that night; he remembered those hauntingly beautiful brown eyes, that sad smile and those tear-streaked cheeks. He closed his eyes. He desperately wanted to get those images out of his head. He didn't want to remember them but the piece of memory simply wouldn't leave him. For some odd reason, he couldn't put it behind him, and thinking about why he couldn't forget in the first place just made him remember all the more.

"It really is you..." Wrought with emotion, her trembling voice interrupted his thoughts and brought him back to reality.

Neji instantly turned his back to her, straightening and composing himself like one normally would in front of guests. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, his infamous cold edge present in his voice. There was no need to show weakness or emotion, especially to this girl. "You must have mistaken me for someone else."

The dreadful words hung in the air long after he had said them, ringing cruelly and tauntingly in the girl's ears. After seven years... _seven_ years of searching desperately... and this wasn't him? A pang of misery hit her, tightening her chest. Reality had shattered her hopes, once again.

Increasingly loud footsteps from a distant hallway suddenly revealed Hiashi, the tired man who was distressed and distraught from his nephew's lack of interest in anything. Both teenagers turned towards him, mentally thanking him for the interruption.

A look of surprise then swept across Hiashi's wrinkly features as he glanced at the two questioningly, wondering what had happened in the short period of time during which Neji had disappeared. He raised an eyebrow. "I take it that you two have met already...?"

Neji's answer came automatically, almost as if he had predicted the question. "No, we have never met before. Why would I associate myself with the likes of her?" He didn't miss the flicker of sadness in her eyes.

Hiashi sighed as he received the expected reply. "Neji," he said, "this is the peer tutor I have assigned you."

The prodigy instantly scoffed.

"Her name is Tenten," the older Hyuuga admonished with a stern look. "She will train with you and bring you to places and events."

"I don't need a weakling to do nothing but get in my way."

"She is not a weakling. And as far as I'm concerned, you are to treat this young lady with nothing but respect for the next two months. You will attend every event to which she brings you without hesitation and you will obey her orders. She is, in essence, a representative of me, therefore what she reports to me is what I will perceive as the truth. Understand?"

Neji narrowed his eyes at the girl, scrutinising her intently. She was just an ordinary girl. She had arrived here five minutes ago, if not less. How could she have possibly gained trust from Hiashi so easily and quickly? His uncle was a strict person who did not often rely on anyone, for he had faith in his own abilities as the honourable leader of the Hyuuga clan. And because of that position he constantly expected a great deal from every other member in the clan. Neji was actually the only one who had completely surpassed Hiashi's expectations in terms of skills and talent. It had taken Neji years of hard work to gain the leader's trust and faith, so what was it about this girl that made his uncle so trusting all of a sudden?

Already holding a grudge against the girl, Neji spat out, "Understood."

Hiashi nodded in satisfaction before walking over to Tenten to help her up. Slightly embarrassed, the teenager accepted the help from the older man and scrambled to her feet. "Thank you," she mumbled hotly. How had she failed to notice that she had been sitting on the floor the entire time?

"Do not worry about it. Has anyone shown you your room?"

"No, not yet. I just got here."

"Ah, that's right. I'll send someone over here."

"Thank you, Hiashi-sama."

The clan head kindly responded with a smile and then left, leaving the two teenagers with nothing but tension in the air again. The two stood across from each other at a distance, motionless as if waiting for someone else to break the uncomfortable silence.

"So, Neji." The young girl squirmed awkwardly under the prodigy's piercing glare, wondering if he was always this silent. "Well," she managed, "we haven't properly introduced ourselves yet, have we?"

When Neji made no answer, she took a few steps towards him; she instantly lightened her steps when she saw his glare intensify. She gulped. Was he going to do nothing but glare at her all day?

"Look Hyuuga Neji," she started, and then winced at the harshness of her tone. She softened her voice despite knowing that it probably wouldn't affect him anyway. "Neji-san, I know you don't want to do this, but neither do I. But I really need this money and since your uncle has hired me himself, I can't back down on this opportunity. I came here to do a job so no matter how strange or inconvenient it is, I'm going to do it right. As soon as I'm done my duties, I'll leave you alone. Just work with me and I'll be gone, alright?"

Neji did not respond with a single word. His narrowed eyes were fixed upon this strange girl, staring intently as if trying to bore a hole through her. His arms were crossed as he continued to stand; he wasn't even mildly amused at the idea of her presence in the Hyuuga mansion.

Tenten laughed nervously. Hiashi had warned her about Neji's tendency to be unpleasant but this was something else altogether. Neji gave the silent treatment a whole new meaning. "Well, do you have anything to say?"

When she was left with silence yet again, she suppressed a sigh. "Let's start all over again, shall we? Hello, my name is Tenten and I just arrived here. I'm here to train with you and teach you a couple of things, like how to open up a little more. Would you like to introduce yourself?"

Neji only rolled his eyes before turning around to walk away. There was no point in wasting precious time with the likes of her.

"Hey! Don't go," Tenten called out, reaching out for his arm. However, by the time she grazed the surface of his clothing, Neji had already spun around and sharply slapped her hand away. The reaction was so rash and unexpectedly abrupt that Tenten had to take a few steps backwards to steady herself.

"Don't touch me," he warned slowly and dangerously, his breath feeling ghostly on her cheek. "Don't speak to me either. I don't want your help. I especially don't want to hear some pathetic, poorly prepared speech from you because you pity me. I'm not disabled, alright? I'm not someone who needs to be fixed either. So leave, go on with your own life and don't meddle in mine."

It took Tenten a moment to form a coherent and logical response. "I see where you're coming from. I know this isn't favourable, but you have to work with me. Your uncle specifically said—"

"I know what my uncle said, and frankly I'm surprised that he has hired you to teach me things. Do you honestly think that I'm interested in what you have to say?"

"No, but—"

"I don't care about your job or my uncle's orders. Don't"—the emphasis on this word sent a chill down Tenten's spine—"get in my way."

Without even bothering to wait for her reaction, he whipped around and walked away.

When Tenten was sure that he had disappeared into another room, she sank down to her knees and sighed in relief. She was surprised that she hadn't collapsed and cried under that stare of his. His gaze was so frighteningly cold, as if he had murderous intentions.

Tenten shuddered. This was who she was being paid to befriend? She looked at both sides of the hallway before letting a shaky laugh escape her throat. "This will go well."

* * *

"This is the room you'll be staying in," a friendly maid said to Tenten. "If you need any help, feel free to call any one of us maids. We are here to serve you to the best of our abilities. Dinner will be served at seven o'clock sharp. Clothes will be provided to you by Hiashi-sama, selected personally by Hinata-sama and her younger sibling, Hanabi-sama. We hope you'll enjoy your stay."

"Thank you so much."

"It's my pleasure, Tenten-san." The older woman smiled and bowed politely before leaving the spacious room.

When alone, Tenten stood up from her spot on the bed and twirled childishly, admiring just about everything in the airy room. It was the better than anything she could design with her imagination; the room was royally beautiful. In the centre there was a huge canopy bed with cream, silk sheets, and the luxurious whiteness was set off by the rich, mahogany frame. It was evident that the room was prepared for her, and not because Hiashi had told her so; the sheer pink curtains and rose-coloured silk pillows were amongst the many feminine touches added to the otherwise monotone room.

Tenten had not expected her room to look the way it did. The Hyuuga manor as a whole was unbelievably luxurious but some parts were more dreary than others, and definitely didn't include pink accents. The very fact that the Hyuugas could afford to add to an already luxurious guest room boggled her mind.

Tenten sighed. Being shown the difference between her and Neji's world was almost overwhelmingly depressing. She knew that money wasn't everything but it provided financial security, which was something she didn't have. Neji, on the other hand, had financial security and more. His life was filled with the kind of glamour and richness that she couldn't even dream of. And here she was, about to spend two months in complete luxury, and all she had to do was to be friends with him!

Yet she couldn't be jealous of such a guy. His family was incredibly rich, but he was also reserved, cold and just plain rude. His eyes were also hauntingly hollow, almost as if indicating the absence of any meaning in his life. She was stunned when she couldn't find any justification as to how such a seemingly erudite, handsome boy could be so unpleasant. Hiashi also seemed to expect this kind of behaviour from him, as if acknowledging that Neji had a right to be this way. What could have possibly happened?

Tenten's heart softened with sympathy. She wanted to help Neji, but it was obvious that he didn't want to be anywhere near her.

"So you're the new girl?"

Tenten jolted out of her thoughts and turned to the doorway. There stood a little girl with dark-brown locks that reached a little past her shoulders. She was practically a spitting image of Hiashi.

"Hi, I'm Tenten." The older girl waved her hand. "Who are you?"

The young Hyuuga sniffed the air to express her disdain. "Hanabi," she replied almost reluctantly. "The heiress."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Hanabi!"

Hanabi was glaring at Tenten, but her glare wasn't half as frightening as Neji's. "Can't say the same."

"Um, okay. Did I do anything offensive?"

"You will."

"What?"

"I know what you're up to, so don't even try to act all nice and proper. I've seen the likes of you many times before so I know what you're going to do."

"Sorry?"

The little girl's eyes flashed dangerously. "Don't play dumb, you fool. You're just like all the others, trying to snuggle up to Neji and thinking that he'll fall head over heels for you and then give you everything that we have. Your act may have worked with Father, but it won't work with Neji or the rest of the clan. So save your time and go back to where you came from!"

Because Hanabi was still a child, Tenten was more shocked than angry at the accusations. Was Hiashi the only polite person in the clan? "Look," she reasoned, carefully hiding her shock behind her cheerful expression, "I'm not like that. I just needed a bit of money so—"

"Ha! I knew it! You want money—that's why you're here!"

"No, no, that's not what I meant. I'm willing to work for the money."

"Just save it. You don't belong here. Go home!"

With one last dirty look, Hanabi stalked off. Tenten could only gape after the small little figure.

"P-please don't mind her," a shy voice piped up, and a timid girl appeared at the doorway. She had hair that reached her shoulders, coloured in an unusual midnight blue. "Hanabi is my little sister. We've had some d-dishonest guests before which is why she doesn't trust people very much. She does it to everyone outside the clan so please don't take it personally."

Tenten smiled. "Don't worry, I understand. I was just a little taken back, that's all."

"You handled her accusations very well. O-oh, I nearly forgot. I'm Hyuuga Hinata, the eldest daughter of Hiashi-sama. Tenten-san, right? Welcome to the Hyuuga manor."

"Thank you, Hinata-san!" The brunette beamed. "Thank you so much for welcoming me."

"I-it's my pleasure. It's u-usually not easy for people to settle in here."

"Yes"—Tenten gestured towards the room—"I'm going to have a hard time getting used to this. I mean, the silk sheets are just too silky, you know?"

Hinata giggled. "I-in that case, you'll have to call one of the m-maids to get the fabric of your choice."

Tenten shook her head while laughing. "This is crazy. I've never had a maid before."

"You'll get used to it. It's nice to have help when you're tired after a mission." Hinata finally stepped into the room and held out a pile of clothes and necessities. "H-here are some things that you'll need. I'm in the room right next to yours, so if you need anything don't hesitate to call me. Hanabi's room is the one—why, t-thank you." She smiled at the maid that had come in to pour tea for the two girls. "So as I was saying, Hanabi's room is d-down the hallway to the left and right n-next to it is Father's. The room across from mine belongs to nobody, so you don't have to w-worry about bothering an Elder. The Elders live in the same hallway as Father's—that's the really long one that leads to the kitchen."

"What about the hallway to the right?"

"That leads to the main living room, and from there you have access to the main entrance and the five other wings of the mansion."

"Okay," Tenten mused. By now they were both sitting on the large canopy bed and drinking tea. "I hope I don't get lost."

"It's a bit overwhelming at first but y-you'll get the hang of it. Oh, and the garden, which also leads to the training grounds, can be accessed from the main living room as well."

"Main living room, entrance, garden, training grounds—got it." Tenten, after taking a sip of her tea, placed a slender finger on her chin and tapped it thoughtfully. "So your room is the one on the right, Hiashi-sama's is down the hall with Hanabi's next to his, and nobody's living across from you. Got it. Oh, whose room is this, the one across from mine?"

Hinata giggled. "Neji-nii-san's."

Tenten nearly choked on her tea. "What?"

"Y-yes. There was a leak in his old room so he relocated. Father put you here because he thought you should be close to Neji-nii-san."

"Well, it goes both ways. Neji would also have easy access if he wanted to kill me."

Hinata giggled again, amused. "Neji-nii-san can be temperamental at times, but he's very reasonable."

Tenten thought of her encounter with him earlier and grimaced. "I hope so."

"You just have to get used to the way he acts. I-it's rare but some people do get through to him."

"Is the first impression he makes always a bad one?"

"Depends who the judge is. Tsunade-sama a-always praises Neji-nii-san for his professionalism."

"I can see why," Tenten said. "I remember the first time I watched him fight. It was a tournament—no, it was during the Chuunin examinations. He was strong, but absolutely ruthless."

"T-that's an unusual reaction. Usually m-most girls gush about him."

The brunette laughed. "I remember that—right after he won all the girls started to cheer like crazy. I remember thinking that he must be a ladies' man off the battlefield."

At this Hinata laughed wholeheartedly, suddenly realising how comfortable Tenten made her feel. They were even chatting aloud in the Hyuuga manor; normally, the heiress stayed reserved to avoid any trouble. "Well, he doesn't s-socialise much but he d-does work very hard. He works harder than most ninjas, and that's saying something because we all t-train a lot."

"I've heard. That's one thing I definitely admire about him; it's another reason why I agreed to work with him. I'd like to hone my skills."

"T-that's right, Father told me you're a ninja too."

"Well, not an official one. I never registered for the Academy."

"Either w-way, Neji-nii-san could use a sparring partner. Maybe you can go outside right now and find him."

"He's training now? But dinner's going to be served soon."

"My cousin d-doesn't waste time. If he's at home, then he's most likely t-training. It'll be e-easy to find him. And oh, another thing: n-never go into his room." Even the Hyuuga heiress giggled at the severity of her tone. "It's j-just the way he is. He doesn't go into our rooms so he expects the same treatment in return. No one goes in there. E-even the maids just drop off his c-clothes and towels by the door. They don't clean his room either—he does that himself. I don't think even Father knows what he keeps in there. Hanabi once t-thought that he was taking steroids in there to get ready for a tournament. Neji-nii-san got so angry when he found out."

Tenten burst out laughing. "Hanabi has quite the imagination."

"She's known for that." The Hyuuga stood up from the huge canopy bed. "We should both get ready now," she said. "I'll see you at dinner—it's at s-seven o'clock sharp. Don't be late, and dress formally. It's best to make a good impression on the Elders of the clan."

"I'm sure I'll find something in the stuff you gave me. Thanks, Hinata, for everything."

"No problem. And Tenten," Hinata said, her voice suddenly quiet. "What I really meant earlier, about s-settling in... I was talking about getting used to the people."

* * *

Because Tenten wanted to make a good impression on the richest clan in Konoha, she went through the entire process of dressing up and even applying make-up. She wore the long, Chinese-styled dress that she had found in the pile of clothes provided by Hinata. It was the most exquisitely intricate dress she had ever seen; woven golden threads embroidered the edges and drew fancy designs across the deep scarlet silk. It was a little too snug for her liking, and the side slits ran a little too high, but she loved it anyway. Moreover, she didn't know where else she could wear such a dress.

When she heard shuffling outside her room, she prayed that it was Neji. She knew they hadn't exactly started off on the right foot so she wanted to catch him alone to talk more. She stepped outside and smiled when she saw Neji facing away, in the middle of tying a black cloth to his forehead. Remembering what had happened this morning, she decided to keep her hands to herself. "Need some help?"

The prodigy didn't even turn around. He expertly finished the knot, as if to dismiss her question. He was about to walk away from her when he caught sight of her.

Tenten smiled nervously under the scrutiny. "Is this too much?"

Neji ran his eyes over her body once and then swivelled around. "You're late," was all he said before walking away at a speed fast enough to be considered running.

"Wait for me," Tenten called out, but soon realised that Neji would never wait for her. She suppressed a sigh and quickly jogged towards the dining room. The instant she entered the large room, however, it took everything in her to not run away to change.

Hinata was right about the Hyuugas' tendency to dress formally; they all were dressed well, but most definitely not in a fancy manner. While most of the women wore no make-up at all, Tenten sported bright ruby lips. As she walked towards her seat she mentally beat herself up for even thinking that the Hyuuga clan would dress up the way she did. And then she cursed herself again for picking a dress with slits that revealed most of her legs whenever she walked.

The worst part of it all was the staring from everyone in the room, and the silence that accompanied the staring made the brunette feel even more ashamed. Some of the members felt pity for the embarrassed girl, but the clan for the most part simply looked disgusted. Neji cast her a disapproving look when she took her reserved seat across from him at the end of the long table. Hiashi, who sat on the side perpendicular to hers, and Hinata, who sat next to her, were the only ones who smiled encouragingly at her.

"You look r-really pretty," Hinata said reassuringly, but instantly quieted when an Elder sitting nearby looked up to glare.

The rest of the dinner was uneventful until Tenten decided to go to the bathroom. Hanabi, who had been waiting for this moment, expertly stuck out her leg and made sure that Tenten fell as ungracefully as possible. Everybody instantly turned to look at her, some annoyed at the interruption, some shaking their heads disapprovingly before resuming their dinner.

Recalling the night afterwards only made Tenten feel more frustrated. She couldn't even enjoy the fact that she had just eaten the best meal of her life or that she was living in a place better than a five-star hotel—all she could think of was what a fool she had made out of herself. How could she have mistaken the meaning of "formal" so badly?

Footsteps outside her door cut off her thoughts; Neji was undoubtedly coming back from his training session. The brunette took a deep breath and scrambled to her feet, suddenly more determined to do her job right.

"Neji-san," she started to say when she slid open her door, but her breath was caught momentarily at the sight of the attractive prodigy. Beads of sweat covered his face and neck, his hair was slightly dishevelled and his shirt was partially unbuttoned. She forced herself to focus. "How was training?"

Neji stared at her for a moment, showing no indication of his willingness to speak.

"Probably like every other time then," Tenten said after a while, more to herself than anything else. "So..."

"Don't waste my time."

"How is having a conversation a waste of time?"

For a moment Neji appeared to be debating between ignoring her and giving her a hard time. If he actually was then he clearly chose the latter, because he then walked up to her and stared her down. "Because this is pointless. And so is your presence," he added unflinchingly.

Tenten outwardly sighed, but was inwardly adamant about standing her ground. "Would it hurt to be nicer to peers? You know very well what kind of predicament I'm in."

"You have the option to quit."

"Who would pass up an opportunity to make money, which is technically instrumental for survival?"

"Anyone would if their job was pointless."

"Why would you think that my job is pointless?"

At this, Neji took another menacing step towards her but Tenten refused to back up even though she was intimidated by their proximity. If it weren't for their hostile glares towards each other, one would mistake them for two lovers having an intimate conversation.

Tenten's gaze was the first to falter. "Fine. I suppose this isn't going anywhere."

"So you've realised."

"I guess you're right."

The corners of Neji's lips almost lifted. "You can leave now. I'll let my uncle know tomorrow morning."

"I'm letting you go, but"—she extended the last word, smiling when the Hyuuga narrowed his eyes—"only for tonight. I'll see you tomorrow morning!"

Neji opened his mouth but nothing came out. His being speechless was a rare occasion and this time, he didn't know whether it was because Tenten seemed unfazed by his behaviour or because he realised that he had actually stayed outside to argue with her. Regardless, he knew he had to rest for tomorrow's training session and there was no point in talking to the likes of her. He closed his mouth and turned around, deciding that her presence wouldn't affect his life.

When Tenten was finally back in the safety of her room, she took a deep breath, relieved that Neji was no longer breathing down her neck. She was convinced that she had been on the brink of crying just now; how was it possible for someone to be so intimidating? At first she regretted having decided to go out to talk to him, but after taking a shower, she was glad that she had gotten the chance to talk to him more. After all, she had gotten a clear view of his eyes which were, in her opinion, the best feature of the Hyuuga clan. On top of being powerful, they were absolutely beautiful; they were such a pretty shade of silver and white combined, mixed with tints of lavender. However, Neji's were also sinister, and dark, and often appeared hollow.

Sighing, Tenten gazed out the window. The moon hung high in the dark but clear night, shining brightly. And then she began to think about Neji again, because the moon reminded her of his eyes; it, too, had many imperfections but it still emitted a beautiful light when it was dark.

The sixteen-year-old girl wondered. She wondered why the corners of his mouth never lifted. He wasn't one of those normal teenagers that she had seen during her rare trips to the town—he certainly wasn't interested in anything other than training and power. This mere fact intrigued her greatly. The detached look in his eyes revealed his intent on being unnoticed by the world, perfectly matching his dark and mysterious aura, but the way he trained indicated otherwise. His silence and his need to conceal his presence made her think. Like a piece of puzzle, a mystery that no one could figure out, there was something about his eyes that seemed to reflect his past. Perhaps he had suffered a loss? Now that she thought about it, she hadn't seen Neji's father or mother anywhere today. Maybe…?

Tenten almost laughed at herself. Of course, Neji had to be the one whom she was paid to befriend. Hyuuga Neji: perhaps the most intimidating and unpleasant member in the clan that probably thought she was a prostitute.

Before sleepiness took over her body, she decided on something. She wasn't going to plan revenge against Hanabi for today's unpleasant incidents or hold a grudge against the people of this clan for snickering and encouraging the young Hyuuga heiress with her childish antics. Instead, she decided that she was going to do something else, even if it seemed absolutely impossible at the moment.

She was determined to change Neji.

* * *

**A/N:** A bit of a filler/intro, but this is all part of the process. All thoughts are welcomed! :)

Chigiri Sasaki

_Posted May 2007, edited July 2013. _


	4. Charge

**Chapter Four**

"Nice, Neji. Your use of chakra is impressive."

When Neji turned to scowl at Tenten, she only smiled.

In fact, she had been smiling for the past couple of hours; she was watching every moment of his training in admiration. There was no doubt that Neji's training sessions were more interesting than hers, or anyone else's for that matter; Neji trained and trained until he had almost no chakra left. Then, instead of resting like any other normal person, he proceeded to practice techniques that didn't require chakra.

Tenten watched in awe as he hauled himself up after falling countless of times, panting only slightly as he pressed on his knees for support. The edges of her eyes softened at his sheer willpower and perseverance. The way he stayed composed and poised despite the searing pain that probably tore at his muscles—it made her wonder whether or not he was suffering at all. But then she would see his repetitive stretching and know that he was clearly ignoring the intense throbbing at his legs and arms.

Neji suddenly broke into a sprint towards the nearest tree. Three shurikens appeared between the gaps of his fingers with a flick of his wrist. The weapons disappeared from his grasp as soon as they appeared though, as three sharp impacts were then heard.

The weapons were already lodged into the tree.

And Tenten couldn't help but grin wider.

It was noon, with the sun burning brightly over the Hyuuga estate and the rest of Konoha. Neji had been awake before the crack of dawn and had been training since. Tenten had been there the entire time because she had followed him outside and seated herself comfortably on a log of wood.

This had been their routine for the past week. Even though Neji didn't like it, he couldn't do anything about Tenten's coming out to watch him. She made pointless comments all the time but she wasn't doing anything to actually prevent him from training.

"Neji, it's time for lunch."

The Hyuuga prodigy scowled and turned around to glare at her. When Tenten's cheerful expression did not falter the slightest bit, his eyes narrowed by a fraction. What was with this girl?

Not only was she unbelievably annoying, she was also seemingly immune to his coldness. Normally, anyone would cower under his intense gaze. It was like a natural instinct, really, like how one would instinctively run away from an irritated bear despite knowing that abrupt movements would only anger it more. But this girl—his eyebrows furrowed momentarily. It was like she had been building immunity against his hostility since they had met and with each passing day she grew happier and happier around him.

It made him indescribably irritated.

In truth, nobody enjoyed his company—not even his two teammates, who seemed to train almost as much as him by running laps around the entire village. This, of course, Neji didn't mind because he liked being alone.

So what was different about this girl?

No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't find a justification as to why she had not fled yet. Just her eyes were enough to tell him that she was afraid; he often heard her sighing from relief every time she thought that he was out of sight. She obviously disliked the way members of this clan treated her. She did not particularly enjoy the strange looks people gave her whenever she was seen with him either. Perhaps it was the money she needed?

"Leave," he said shortly.

"No, not without you."

Neji inwardly sighed. Hiashi had told him before that Tenten wasn't one to give up without a fight. And that, Neji admitted grudgingly, was true; nothing had been affecting her. Not even Hanabi's rude antics were enough to drive her out of Konoha. And of course, since Hiashi was on Tenten's side, nobody dared to blatantly kick her out—and it definitely didn't help that the clan head was absolutely thrilled about it all.

"Leave."

It was just one word, yet one could easily recognise his growing irritation the instant he parted his lips.

He clenched his fists when he saw Tenten's head tilt sideways, questioningly, at him. The tinkling sound from her little hair ornaments were perhaps the most unnerving part of it all. "I'm not leaving without you," she chirped happily, making the usual response.

"Your presence is useless."

"Oh really?"

Neji watched Tenten with a frown as she stood up. Seriousness suddenly replaced the playfulness in her eyes as she looked directly at him. "You're probably bored from training alone all the time," she said. "Why don't you find a sparring partner?"

He raised an eyebrow at her inquisitively.

Smiling confidently, she slid a sword out smoothly from its sheath, reflecting the brilliant rays of the sun in the process. She pointed its sharp tip directly at him, her body falling into a defensive stance as she wielded the sword effortlessly. "Fight me," she said simply, all traces of cheerfulness gone. Flinging her bangs backwards at his glare, she added, "If you beat me, I'll leave you alone for three days."

This seemed to pique Neji's interest, as he, too, positioned himself in the middle of the small clearing. He drew out a long sword and held it confidently, almost smirking. Maybe he would finally be able to put his mind at ease for once. Three days were better than nothing.

"Let me see what the Hyuuga prodigy can do," Tenten challenged bravely.

"Let me see what a pathetic fool can do."

The brunette's eyes narrowed slightly at the rude comment. She quickly darted her eyes around the area, carefully scrutinising the clearing to familiarise herself with the environment as any ninja would do before engaging in a fight. She mentally cursed as she realised that this would be yet another advantage in Neji's favour, the first being his competence as a noble clan's prodigy. Gripping her sword tightly, she charged at him.

The sound of steel on steel echoed endlessly as they met, metals clashing as they blocked each other's attack. Tenten jumped high when Neji took a swipe at her feet. She thrust her weapon downwards as she came down, smirking when he didn't move or react the slightest bit.

When she landed, however, her eyes widened. Neji disappeared into nothing but a log of wood, into which her sword was lodged; before she could draw it back out or see where he had gone, he was already behind her, hand drawn back, preparing to plunge the sword straight into her back. "Too slow," he murmured. Realisation hit him when she didn't move. Did she...?

"Too slow," Tenten mimicked mockingly from behind as she managed to graze the side of his cheek. Just as she was about to crack a triumphant grin, she felt a knee connect hard with her stomach and she involuntarily wheezed from having the air knocked out of her lungs. She then quickly retreated back in flips, and after taking a deep breath, wiped off the light blood trail at her mouth with the end of her sleeve. "Getting serious already?"

"Getting started."

"So am I."

Before Neji could even answer, she began sprinting towards him, this time with a sword in each hand. Both blades swept in from opposite sides with the intent to slash him. He backed away just enough to escape, and then dove in with a low stab when Tenten's arms were momentarily crossed. She recovered from the slight shock just in time and brought both blades upwards to form an "X", trapping his weapon in the small gap. When she twisted her body, he was forced to let go of his sword and it fell to the ground with a clatter. Though she had effectively disarmed him, Neji quickly approached her and struck her hard across the jaw with his fist.

"Expected from the Hyuuga prodigy, I suppose," Tenten said breathlessly. She wiped the blood off her chin once more.

"Whatever."

The brunette then lunged forward again, her blades whirling to force Neji to play defence. Automatically he ran to pick up his sword and turned his body just in time to block her first attack. Then he began moving his sword from side to side, barely blocking every strike, having no time to spare to plan a counterattack. Finally, when her speed began to falter, he quickly stepped to the right and pushed both swords to one side in one, clean sweep; it didn't disarm her, but he took this as an opportunity to plant a hard kick on her side. Tenten was almost knocked off her feet again and had to take a few steps before she was able to regain her balance. The Hyuuga in the meantime backed up, creating a considerable amount of distance as he recuperated within one single breath.

The kunoichi, on the other hand, was panting heavily, trying to flick her dampened bangs out of her eyes as she planned another assault. She had to admit that she was impressed; he was able to put up a good fight even after hours of training. It was now overt that his stamina was better than hers by a long shot.

Tenten willed herself to focus, as there was virtually nothing more useless than admiring an opponent during a fight. There had to be a way to beat him, even if he was undoubtedly in better shape. After all, losing this match also meant failing at her job, and she couldn't afford to lose the money that Hiashi offered.

She eyed Neji carefully. She was fairly acquainted with his fighting style after a week's worth of observation; he was able to combine his taijutsu skills with his naturally quick reactions, his unique-to-Hyuugas attacks were flawless, and he had clearly proved his talent in weaponry through the last move. Since his offensive moves were literally perfect, she quickly decided to test his defence. She knew that Neji had the Kaiten perfected and under his belt—this was a known fact after he had showcased it years ago in a tournament—but she also knew that that technique required a constant flow of chakra. And Neji's supply of it had to be almost depleted by now, since he had been training for hours. It was the reason why he mainly used hand-to-hand combat moves on her, right?

Tenten, desperately hoping that this was her ticket to victory, instantly broke into a brisk run. She circled around him as she concentrated on Neji's every movement. The prodigy was slightly startled, as she had just started sprinting before fully catching her breath. He quickly activated his Byakugan, as he had a instant gut feeling that he would need to use it. After making a complete circle around him, she vaulted into the air, performing a series of complex flips and turns, spinning her body with grace and ease; just the gracefulness alone indicated that she was all too familiar with this assault. The scroll whipped around her as she straightened her body and began to spin, determination ignited in her eyes. Abruptly, the speed of her rotations increased, and an assortment of weapons appeared within the grasp of her fingers. With a flick of her wrist, a slew of weapons were sent towards Neji.

The Hyuuga took a step back, his knees bending slightly for stabilisation. Expelling an intense burst of chakra, he spun at an incredible speed, and once surrounded by the whirl he created, he was able to deflect all of Tenten's weapons. They all skipped off the surface of his Kaiten and hit the ground with a dull thud.

Tenten quickly shook off the feeling of awe once more and planned another way to get through that seemingly impenetrable whirl of chakra. Since Neji had to concentrate and expel a large amount of chakra every time he performed the famous Kaiten, she wondered if there would be some sort of delay in-between. Furthermore, how much longer could he keep this up, given that he had already used up most of his chakra this morning?

With a small smile, she summoned a Fuuma shuriken and fanned out its blades like fangs until she could grasp it by the circle in the middle. She did not often use this particular weapon simply because they were excessively large and heavy, and as a result she would only be able to throw one at a time. However, they were good for testing her accuracy and strength, and the momentum gained by the heavy weapon would greatly increase her opponent's struggle to repel it.

The large black shuriken left her fingers in a swift movement before Neji finished rotating. He seemed to notice it as he started to slow down; his eyes narrowed as he assessed its speed. It was coming down too fast for him to dodge and its blades were rotating too quickly for him to catch it without hurting himself. Using the last remains of his chakra, he sped up and performed the Kaiten once more.

Meanwhile, Tenten had already vaulted into the air, invisible strings attached to her fingers as she held her scattered weapons into the air. And at the exact moment Neji's whirl of chakra began to weaken, she thrust every single weapon she had: kunai, senbon, fuuma shuriken, katana, flails, maces, shuriken and scythes.

Neji's eyes widened as he was caught off guard. He grasped the first object thrown at him—a long sword—and began twirling it, performing something similar to Kaiten as he deflected the weapons.

Well, most of them, at least.

There was that sickening squelch that he had become used to after years of missions and training, and that was the sound of pierced flesh and blood spurting. The prodigy gazed down in slight surprise when he discovered that three kunai had struck his right leg and there was a shuriken planted in the crook of his shoulder. Tenten smiled triumphantly in the air as she learned that Neji wasn't _that_ hard to graze.

And then she summoned and threw a couple more weapons before flinging her last weapon—a scythe. She watched as it sliced through the air, heading directly towards the gap between his shoulder blades that would directly lead into his heart. However, she started to frown when Neji suddenly slowed down. He visibly winced as three more senbon pierced him in the back.

Tenten stopped breathing. Why had she thrown so many weapons? Wasn't he already wounded? Moreover she had known all along that he was tired, so why did she attack so relentlessly? Killing him wasn't part of her job. "Neji, _move_!"

Her eyes were wide with horror as she realised that he wasn't even looking up anymore. There way no way that he could dodge the last weapon she threw—not in his current state at least. She desperately shouted his name in an attempt to make him to roll away, to do _something_, but it was of no use.

The next few events were almost simultaneous: her yelling Neji's name; her landing; her running towards him to push him out of the way; and finally, her watching her own weapon puncturing his shoulder.

The silent scream of horror never left her as she stood there for a couple of moments, frozen. And with his clothes soaked in his own blood, Neji fell to the ground, unconscious.

* * *

**A/N: **Excuse the dramatic slowmo at the end haha. Wanted to emphasize the thought process and how things can happen like _that. _Hope you enjoyed this read, all comments are welcomed!

C.S  
xoxo

_Posted May 2007, edited August 2013. _


	5. Assumptions

**Chapter Five**

Everything was white.

Any feeling of serenity that might have lingered completely dissipated as urgent cries of sorrow and anger filled the hallways. Sounds of heavy footsteps echoed continually, almost tauntingly, through each corridor, and wheels screeched every time they either halted or curved at a sharp turn.

The cacophony annoyed Neji endlessly. His ivory eyes fluttered open angrily; they quickly darted back and forth, scanning the airy room thoroughly in the process. The unfamiliarity of the hospital room made his dark eyebrows furrow slightly but he remained calm nonetheless.

The sun was setting at the moment, hanging low in the sky. Awareness finally began to sink in and vaguely, Neji remembered that his fight with Tenten had taken place a little after noon. At the thought of the commoner his insides began to tighten with anger, but his planning to get rid of her was cut short when he heard a series of knocking.

His gaze swiftly averted to the door, every muscle tensing as if suspecting an assault a second later. It quickly occurred to him though that even if it was an enemy, he wouldn't be able to fight anyway. The thought eased the uncertainty that had been building inside him and it was quickly replaced by self-assurance, because Neji knew that whatever he believed was true.

He frowned when the door slowly creaked open and a shadow loomed. His frown only deepened when he felt the atmosphere suddenly turn warm as a light, fruity aroma filled his senses. He usually attributed the familiar scent to the products that all female Hyuugas used, but this scent was slightly off, as if it had been marred by someone's body chemistry—or rather, by the filth of a commoner.

His voice was venomous. "Is nearly killing me not enough? Judging by the visit, I suppose you came to finish me off."

"Neji... I don't know what to say. I'm so, so sorry."

Had Neji not been almost paralysed, he would have already gone and punched Tenten senseless. He had prevented himself from killing her previously because of the constant reminders he gave himself. He had convinced himself that he couldn't act rashly because she was seemingly innocent and only under Hiashi's orders but now, now he wasn't sure he could resist that urge. Even Hiashi's being on her side didn't mean anything to him anymore because compared to this... Neji felt his blood boil with rage. Tenten had nearly killed him, and now he was unable to train due to the fresh wounds that threatened to open every time he moved.

He wanted her gone, away—_far_ away.

"Neji? Please say something."

Even the way she expected him to respond annoyed him. She didn't know him but acted like she was an old friend in whom he confided. Sometimes she would even interrogate him about his father with that annoying voice of hers, as if she had a right to ask, as if he owed her some kind of explanation. The topic of family obviously didn't affect her because she probably had a pair of nauseatingly warm parents and a home that welcomed her with the aroma of sweets and cookies.

"I shouldn't have done that," Tenten began softly, her voice beginning to rise with uncertainty and uneasiness, as if trying hard to spit out an apology. Her feeling of discomfort increased at the sight of him wrapped in bandages and she cringed. It pained her further when she saw Neji urging himself to move in spite of his serious injuries. "I didn't know what I was even thinking. It was obvious that you were out of chakra and worn out from training, but I just had to provoke you. I challenged you and I knew you weren't going to back down because you're too proud and conceited"—she paused, uncertain of where she was going with this—"but I was ultimately the fool. I was stupid. I knew that you'd agree with that big ego of yours, no offence again by the way, but really, you shouldn't have said yes!" She took a deep breath, feeling drowned in hopelessness as she seated herself in a nearby chair. "What I'm trying to say," she finally added, sincerely, her slender fingers sweeping her bangs away, "is that I'm sorry. I really am sorry."

A look of anxiety swept across Tenten face when he didn't answer or move the slightest bit. The only sign that indicated he was listening to her was his face. It was growing red. A fever, maybe? She stretched her arm out to touch his forehead but it was instantly slapped away.

"Don't touch me," he said hoarsely, wincing slightly at the pain that had spread through his arm like wildfire. He didn't want help from her. He didn't need it. He had always been fine depending on himself and himself only, and he had no plans to change that.

"I'm sorry."

Even though he was the cold-hearted bastard he had always been, Neji couldn't block out the unusual feeling that tugged at his heart when he aligned his gaze with hers. He was stunned to see only pure concern and guilt in her pools of chestnut; he had expected to see, like he normally would from his desperate female followers, superficial love, formed by the illusions of his reputation and wealth.

Neji's eyebrows furrowed. Why was she so worried about him?

"Here," Tenten said gently, pouring him a glass of water. "You're probably dehydrated."

The unusually warm feeling in Neji's chest was quickly washed away by anger when realisation hit him. Tenten wasn't caring about him or what she had done to him—she cared because this was her job as his "peer tutor", and she was doing everything to complete her little "project".

Neji cringed in pain as he pushed himself up to sit against the wall. Hiashi must have paid her a lot. Why else would she be here? She could be at the Hyuuga mansion, enjoying the luxury of having servants at her command. His bitterness only intensified as the brunette continued to stand there, holding the glass of water, as if she wanted some kind of reassurance that he would be fine.

"Reassurance, is that what you want?" Even when injured, his voice was cold and cutting. "I'm not weak. I'll be fine, so go."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"I don't need your pity."

"It's not pity," Tenten cried, and her tone alone indicated that she was on the verge of tears. "I really feel guilty, and I can't stand seeing you like this."

Neji almost wanted to let out a harsh laugh; Hiashi had done a good job picking a girl who could put on a convincing act. Her feigned concern would have been touching if the circumstances had been different—if he had known otherwise. "You're not going to lose your job," he said flatly. "Hiashi thinks highly of you, for some reason."

"I don't care about the job. I know I don't know you well but I care about—"

"Why?" Neji cut her off quietly, his voice odd and unwavering; the way it held a note of genuine wonder made it almost painful to hear. "Does acting concerned get you a bonus? Does the money matter that much?"

There was a flash of anger in Tenten's eyes. "Look, I know I made it a point that I need money, but don't most people? And I'm working for it, aren't I?"

"You're doing a great job obviously."

"I'm trying," Tenten replied indignantly, stiffly. "I don't know what else I could do."

There was a brief moment of pause before Neji looked directly into her eyes. "How much?"

"What?"

"How much did my uncle offer you? Whatever he's offering, I'll double it, provided that you leave the Hyuuga clan this instant."

A strange look swept over Tenten's features, and she swallowed the lump at her throat. "Do you hate me that much?"

"Is there a reason why I should feel otherwise? You have done nothing but bother and hinder me. You are just like every other girl that comes into the Hyuuga clan in hopes of becoming wedded to a Hyuuga who will provide you with everything you need. Unfortunately, your status won't get you anywhere in the clan." His voice was acrimonious, unforgiving. "If I give you the money you need, you should have enough to run back to your parents' home and prepare for your next suitor."

"You think you know me?" Tenten demanded, her glassy eyes betraying her otherwise angry voice. "You don't know anything about me."

"I've seen the likes of you before—"

"Shut up," Tenten hissed lowly. "You talk about me like you know where I come from, like you've heard my story. But you know nothing; you don't know why I shamelessly offered my services to everybody in the first place. There's a reason why I stayed with the Hyuugas, even after being constantly pointed at, even after being gossiped about for the past week.

"You're right. I do need the money. So what? Do you even have a clue as to what I need this money for? A job like this is my only source of income, which means that I need this money to survive. I'm by myself at my own home, and I have to live. I don't have parents to welcome me each day—in fact, I don't even know who they are!"

There was suddenly a quietness between them.

"You just assumed that I'm some decently privileged girl seeking a decadent lifestyle," Tenten said, mockingly bitter. "Has it ever occurred to you that there are people trying to make an honest living? Or better yet, has it ever occurred to you that there are people who actually try to care about you?"

Neji stared at her, dumbfounded.

"I get that you're all about the training and honour and whatever. I get it. But you have no reason to be angry at me for trying _my_ best to survive." She thrust the glass of water she had poured a while ago into Neji's face. "Drink."

Given that he had no other choice, being helplessly bedridden, the prodigy reluctantly drank from the cup. He downed its contents in one gulp.

"What really gets me," Tenten started, collapsing into the chair beside the bed, "is that you don't know how lucky you are. You have family, people who care about you. Whom do I have? No one—nothing, for that matter. I don't even remember who I was, or whom I had as parents. I've tried, but I can't remember anything from my early childhood. My parents erased everything I had ever known until I was nine. I have nothing to prove my existence...

"Just this." She fished out a simple necklace from under her collar. It was a thin and delicate silver chain, suspending a silver encrusted plate that had "Tenten" and a date engraved smoothly onto it. "The night I woke up, or rather, the first night I can actually remember, I only had this to make some sense of my life." She lifted her jewellery. "So I just assumed that this was my name and birth date. Tenten. I'm now sixteen years old. I... I think my mother might have given this to me before she left."

Neji was speechless by this point. There was just something about her right now that silenced him—the innocence, the vulnerability, the serenity—or perhaps he was still stunned by the fact that she wasn't as well off as he had assumed. His judgement of character was usually spot on. When was the last time he had been wrong? As he stared at girl before him, befuddled, he wondered why she was sharing this with him in the first place. He neither cared nor relished in the suffering of the person who annoyed him endlessly; he just wanted her to leave him alone but at the moment, he couldn't find it in himself to tell her to go away.

"I've always thought that my parents erased my memories for my own good," Tenten continued on wistfully, "but it's pretty obvious that I'm only trying to will myself into believing something that isn't true. I was nine. I was only nine at the time, when I woke up in the middle of nowhere, not knowing who I even was. I ended up wandering into a village, but the people there forced me out, telling me to run. So I blindly ran away from there, desperately trying to find some comfort in someone's arms. I wanted someone—just someone—to come out and say that my parents were waiting for me somewhere. Then I would run into my parents' arms, feeling safe and happy and protected... But I realised long ago that that day would never come. I cried. I wanted to cry myself to sleep.

"But," she murmured as her eyes softened, "a boy found me. A young boy, with the most beautiful moonlight eyes held me in his arms. I knew perfectly that it was strange that I found the comfort I've always wanted in a stranger, but somehow, I couldn't bring myself to run away. What else did I have to lose, anyway? And I... I just felt so safe with him. I felt like I could tell him anything, and I did—I told him of my problems, my dreams, my wonders, my fears..." She smiled sheepishly. "I talked and talked until I was so tired I fell asleep.

"But even though he was already gone by the time I woke up, I still remember him to this day and all the words that he said to me. So in addition to finding my parents, I made a vow to myself—I promised myself that I would find him and thank him. It's so silly, isn't it? It's not like I can realistically walk around every day and expect to find a boy whom I haven't seen in years."

"Why are you telling me this?"

Tenten silenced at this. Come to think of it, why was she telling him this? How was it possible that she had spilled all of her most cherished memories and thoughts to someone who was no more than a stranger?

Perhaps, she thought after a moment, it was due to the fact that Neji possessed the same physical traits as him, the boy whom she dreamt of seeing again. But then again, so did every other male Hyuuga, and for all she knew, that sweet boy could have died in a mission a long time ago. Maybe she was confessing more than usual because she wanted to make it a point that she was not the girl Neji thought she was; this made the most sense, as Tenten soon found herself hoping that Neji no longer thought so lowly of her.

"I asked you a question."

His sharp voice snapped her back to reality and she cracked a smile. Neji was and always would be the cold-hearted bastard who cared for training and training only—he couldn't possibly be that mysterious boy that had been there for her years ago.

"I don't know, maybe it's because you sort of remind me of him," she finally replied, somewhat sheepishly.

"Foolish."

"I actually agree with you on that one," Tenten laughed. Changing the topic cleverly, she added, "So Tsunade-sama said that you can leave today, but you have to rest a lot. Here, give me your hand. I'll help you up."

To Tenten's greatest, utmost surprise, Neji took her hand. His warm hand seemed to fit perfectly around hers, and at that fleeting moment when she aligned her gaze with his, she was momentarily stunned by the sense of familiarity.

* * *

**A/N:** Neji's getting softer, eh? ;) But don't worry, it won't last long. I'm only in a good mood after watching the 14th episode of Naruto Shippuuden a few days ago, and the scene between Neji and Tenten was just too cute! So I'm in a good mood and decided to make Neji a little less of a bastard ahah. Be happy that I did so, cause Neji's pity for Tenten won't last.

Tenten's past has been revealed! Well, at least half of it was. The relatively unimportant part, at least. Where she comes from is another chapter, so until then! ;)

Much love,  
_Chigiri Sasaki_

_Posted May 2007, edited August 2013. _


	6. Venture

**Chapter Six**

Sunlight trickled in like golden water, its brilliant rays peeking through the pale curtains, filling the room as a tide might. The light splashed over Neji's eyes, stirring him into consciousness. He had trained himself years ago to become fully alert the second he was awake, but somehow that particular ability was hindered this morning. He frowned when he shifted; immense pain seared through his shoulder and then ignited his entire body with a throbbing that made his insides shudder. He then recalled the reason as to why he was in such a pathetic state and instantly felt the familiar tug of hatred.

It was all because of her. _  
_

Because of her, he was forced to stay in bed all day, powerless and vulnerable. He was unable to train—or rather, he wasn't permitted to do so due to Tsunade's orders. Furthermore, Tenten had somehow convinced Hiashi into letting her treat him until he was fully recovered. She had yet again pulled the strings she seemed to have on the clan head; she simply had to say something along the lines of feeling responsible for the damage she had caused and of course, the leader of the Hyuuga clan would instantly be in agreement. "Why yes, my Tenten, that is a fantastic idea," he had said, completely ecstatic. Neji had been there too. His mouth had hung open slightly due to the shock, and it only widened when Hiashi smiled warmly at Tenten, treating her as if she was his own daughter. And she had grinned back, tilting her head childishly before helping Neji back into his room. She hadn't even bowed before leaving the room, which was very impolite especially because she was an outsider, but Hiashi hadn't seemed to care. It was like she already belonged to the family.

Family. It suddenly occurred to him that Tenten didn't have any. She was an orphan. Her parents had left her when she was just a child, abandoning her in the middle of nowhere. She cried a lot that night. She cried herself to sleep because she knew deep down her parents' comfort would never come. Thinking about her past now made Neji feel an unexplainable feeling that took over his heart; he had never experienced it before. Pity, perhaps?

Or maybe it was the feeling of sympathy, because he, too, knew what it was like to have no parents. He didn't know what was worse: for one to lose one's parents and learn the bitter truth behind their deaths or to forget everything altogether. Was it better to accept reality for what it was or to be given false hope? Moreover, was it better to have an identity and hate it or to have none at all?

A knock at his door made the prodigy tense, and the feeling of annoyance swelled within him. He hated having people in his room. He usually did everything himself but the fact that he was bedridden gave him no choice. He reluctantly asked, "Who is it?"

"You have the Byakuugan for a reason," a deep voice drawled. "I'm coming in."

The door slid open to reveal a tall Hyuuga, slightly older and burlier than Neji yet still similar in features. "Wow, so it is true. You've been beaten badly, and by a girl no less."

"What do you want, Hayato?"

"Don't be so ill-mannered, Neji. We did, after all, train together as kids." He smiled at his old sparring partner, a fellow branch member of the illustrious Hyuuga clan. "I came to see your room because I finally have the opportunity. There's no ogre to stop me."

Even though Hayato was a decent fighter and one of the only somewhat tolerable members of the clan, Neji was still irked. Even more so now that he was tired, drained, and in pain. "Leave when you're done."

"Wow. That girl got you good, didn't she? Where's the fight in you buddy?"

"Hayato..."

"Alright, alright. In all seriousness, I came to say bye."

At this, Neji looked up questioningly.

"A mission, to the Land of Snow. Yukigakure to be exact. I don't know how long I'm going to stay there."

"What kind of mission?"

"A simple escort, but Noriko lives there. Her father's weak and wants her to stay with him. The clan doesn't have any objections because it's not like I'm needed here anyway, being a branch member and all. But," he added when he was met with silence, "I'm going to come back for the wedding. I'll be eighteen in a few months."

"Is that all you have to say?"

"Cold as always," Hayato chuckled. "I just wanted to tell you that it's okay. I heard you were rebelling against the engagement but it's not really so bad. I've grown to be quite fond of Noriko, actually. The clan does a good job at choosing good women for us. Of course, you'll be given the cream of the crop since you're our prodigy."

"I bear no interest."

"It might not be much coming from me, but I'm part of the branch family too. You don't have to be bitter about it all the time."

"Is that all?"

Hayato sighed, shaking his head. "I suppose. It's a wonder how that girl is still here. Tenten's her name, right?"

"She's not a candidate."

"You say that about everybody. Open up your mind, will you?"

With that, Hayato left, leaving Neji to indulge in the solace that silence provided. However, it seemed that even his own thoughts wouldn't leave him alone, and in his state he couldn't do what he normally would: train until exhaustion rendered his entire mind numb. Instead, he was bound to his bed with an active mind that seemed to linger on the topic of his "peer tutor".

He wouldn't have remembered Tenten's words so clearly if she hadn't mentioned a boy. She recalled the memories of a boy—a boy with moonlight eyes, to be precise—that had held her in his arms. The boy she had found gone the next day, but still was determined to find. Inevitable guilt washed over him as he realised that she still wanted to meet this mysterious boy again. She probably thought that this boy was going to bring salvation to her world of black and white; Neji knew she longed for the day she could finally live freely, when she could have someone by her side. But he knew that that day wouldn't come.

Because he was the person she had been searching for.

He was the one to whom she had confessed everything seven years ago, much like how she had done so in the hospital. He was the one that had comforted her all those years ago and let her cry in spite of the wet spot she was creating on his clothing with her hot tears. He was the one that had fed her a glimpse of hope.

He had been assigned on a mission that day. They were told to infiltrate the area surrounding Konoha, as there had been reports of attacking ninjas scattered about. It was a B-ranked mission so it was odd that such a dangerous and life-risking type of task had been assigned to a young nine-year-old, especially because Neji was still in the academy then and had yet to be experienced. But with the insistence of Hyuuga Hiashi, the Hokage had given in. The mission appeared to be pointless the first night; after failing to find any attackers, the team decided to split up to cover more area.

Neji found her on cold ground, her face buried in her arms as she was crying. Never had he seen such a frail figure, someone who appeared to be so young and innocent yet tormented and torn apart. Why was a child such as herself lying on the ground? He hesitated before he approached her, afraid that she was a clone or a trap of some sort. But determination surfaced in his pools of ivory as he decided against that theory. He gently lifted her chin, meeting her brown eyes. They were red and puffy from her constant sobbing. Her breathing was hitched and ragged as choked hiccups escaped her throat. She too, was apprehensive but then she began telling him things. She told him everything—everything from her fears to her wonders of the world. At the end she collapsed into his arms and began sleeping soundly, her soft breathing finally even and steady. Neji couldn't move then; all of her weight was on him as he sat against a tree. So he did nothing but simply gain his rest for the night as well, planning to leave the next day.

The memories were crystal clear.

Neji's eyebrows furrowed when he couldn't find a reason to explain why he had stayed there with her. He could have easily pushed her off and left, so why had he decided to stay? Perhaps it was because he only held a grudge towards the main household and not any outsiders, or maybe it was because he had deemed her forlorn enough to earn his pity. But Neji was positive about one thing: he would have left her alone if he had known that he would be crossing paths with her again. He knew that denying his memories in front of her was the right thing to do. There was no use in forging unwanted relationships and memories. It would only pain her to realise that he was the boy she admired anyway. He had grown into a different person. Years of reckless training and a life of hardship had further polished the shield that kept and would keep everyone away from him.

Including her.

* * *

"Father, how do you know Tenten is actually a good person?"

Hyuuga Hiashi glanced down at his youngest daughter, whom he had decided to bring out for a walk. With a kind, gentle smile, he bent down to her eye level. "I don't."

That was the most honest answer he could give Hanabi, perhaps the most mistrustful child he had ever known. He knew about her suspicions and theories about Tenten, and although they were quite exaggerated, they were also very plausible. There had been various intruders in the clan and while the Hyuugas had always been able to protect themselves, there was always the possibility of the clan's ultimate downfall.

When Hiashi had found out about Neji's injuries, he didn't know what to think. All at once, he was worried about Neji's condition, shocked by the fact that Neji had gotten hurt at all, concerned by Tenten's possible underlying intentions, but still happy that Neji had decided to fight Tenten in the first place.

"Then why let her live here, Father? She almost killed Neji."

"She didn't."

"You're too trusting, Father."

Hiashi chuckled. "I've done all that I could to make sure she's not an enemy. I've done a background check and even asked around town to see if she has helped others before."

"I don't like her."

"I l-like her," Hinata finally piped up, from the other side of the clan head. "She looks like someone who can get through to Neji-nii-san."

"Your cousin is very stubborn," Hiashi agreed. "I chose Tenten because she goes against everything Neji believes in."

"How?" Hanabi asked, mildly curious.

"Neji's perspective was shaped by the confinement of the Hyuuga clan, so it's only natural that his hatred, too, is directed towards it. He rejects what we say because he's angry, not necessarily at us but at the fact that he's bound to the clan in which we are privileged. Not that I don't understand where he's coming from." A slight frown settled on his lips. "He feels trapped, he feels unjustly treated because he is undoubtedly one of our strongest fighters."

"Neji-nii-san t-thinks it's fate," Hinata concluded softly.

"Our line of work doesn't help, either. Every day we see even the most heroic ninjas fall. It is one thing to serve our country, yes, but it is also another to lose a loved one because of said duty. Neji appears to accept the inevitability of this truth more than anyone else because he experienced it as a young child. However, he is also more bitter because he didn't have to suffer such a loss. He's hurt."

"Hizashi-sama..." Hinata said sadly. In truth, she only had vague memories of her uncle but the ones she did have were all pleasant.

"Uncle did the right thing," Hanabi stated. "It was his duty."

"Was it really fate then?" Hiashi mused, eyes distant.

The youngest Hyuuga tugged on her father's sleeve. "So how does Tenten fit into all this?"

"She's like him in many ways. She's an orphan and has been taking care of herself for most of her life."

"She h-has?" Hinata wouldn't have deduced that by talking to the seemingly carefree, family-oriented brunette.

"She is a ninja too, so she can help Neji improve. She can't be half bad if she was able to injure Neji," Hiashi added with a slight smile. "Most of all, despite her living conditions she is a happy person. She fights to live, and that vigour is something we often lack as privileged people. Even though we are ninjas, we don't truly appreciate every day that we are alive."

"I see," the older Hyuuga heiress murmured. "She's like an optimistic version of Neji-nii-san."

"I still don't like her," Hanabi muttered.

Hiashi smiled at his youngest daughter, whose disposition wasn't far off from that of Neji. "It can take a while to warm up to someone."

* * *

Tenten hesitated. Should she go in?

She was standing in front of the entrance to Neji's room, only a mere piece of wood separating her from the boy who seemed to hate her guts. She had her hand raised to knock, but it was paralysed midair. She wasn't sure if he would allow her to simply barge in like that, and even if she did do so, he probably wouldn't acknowledge her presence anyway. Hinata had also told her that nobody invaded his privacy. But he was injured, and had been letting a couple of maids in...

Tenten took a deep breath, gulping as she searched for the right words to say. She finally mustered all the courage she could possibly find and declared, "Neji, I brought you medicine."

There was no response. Not that she expected one, especially from him, but it was strangely quiet. Almost eerily quiet. Tenten didn't know whether he was being his usual reserved self or if he had left his room. But he couldn't have left, she knew that much—Hiashi had given strict orders to ensure that. Tenten bit her lower lip as she thought of the remaining possibilities. Surely he hadn't fallen unconscious, right? But if his serious wounds really had reopened and from the major blood loss, he could have…

Panic instantly washed over the sixteen-year-old. The rational part of her mind urged herself to slide open the door, no matter how much of a silent treatment she would later receive from him because saving a life was far more important. If she ignored the chance to save someone's life, she would never be able to move on with something like that on her shoulders. She lowered her hand to the handle. Gripping it tightly, she began sliding it.

Before it could open any more than an inch, however, a cold voice stopped her.

"Don't you dare come in," Neji's voice warned dangerously.

Each word was curt and bitter, but Tenten wasn't one to give up. "But I brought you medicine. It's going to make you feel better," she said lightly.

"Neji," she admonished when he didn't reply, her voice suddenly solemn and serious. "If you don't drink this medicine"—she stopped, lowered her voice considerably, pausing for a dramatic interval—"then I'm going to cut your hair."

Tenten laughed; she found her threat rather funny, but was actually laughing out of sheer awkwardness more than anything else. Whoever passed by began looking at her strangely, and those who were bolder gave her a disgusted look, but there was still no reaction whatsoever on Neji's part. She sighed. This wasn't going to work.

"Fine, I'm going out to get more medicinal herbs," she announced cheerfully, seemingly not bothered at all by his lack of interest. "You better drink it then, Hyuuga Neji."

Her soft and pleasant humming filled Neji's ears as she walked away. When he was sure she was gone, he suddenly released the breath he never knew he had been holding. He had been so tense before, each muscled tightened and flexed as if he had been bracing for an attack.

Neji mentally scolded himself for acting this way. He should only feel this tense when preparing to fight a strong opponent. But this girl, who was obviously weaker than he was, hadn't even entered his room.

What kind of effect did she have on him?

* * *

Tenten wandered through the busy streets of Konoha, occasionally bumping into a person or two. Frowning as a large sea of people flooded the street before her, she hastily stepped into a random store to compose herself. Her brown eyes lit up. She wasn't at her designated place, but the shop she had walked into seemed delightful enough to earn a second glance. The bell above her head rung twice at her presence, and off went an automatic greeter. "Welcome to Yamanaka's Flowers!"

The flower shop was almost cloyingly fragrant, but not quite so; if anything, it was the sight of all the flowers that overwhelmed Tenten. The countless rows of differently coloured flowers—from soft-rose peonies to stunningly burnt orange Cosmos—made her feel as if she was in a different world.

"Hi there," said a strikingly pretty girl behind the counter. She was about Tenten's age, and wore her long blond hair in a ponytail. She appeared to be an ordinary teenager but something about her cerulean eyes indicated otherwise.

"Hi," Tenten replied. She smiled guiltily. "Sorry, I'm not actually looking for flowers. I came in cause there are too many people outside."

"No worries, I totally get it. When all the tourists come to Konoha they always shop around this area. So where are you from? I haven't seen you before."

"I'm actually from here; I live just a little outside Konoha in the south."

"Oh, so what do you do there? Aren't there a lot of forests?"

Tenten smiled. "Yeah, but I train a lot there so it's perfect for me. I'm a ninja."

"No way! Me too! Which year are you in?"

"Actually, I'm self-trained. I never registered for the Academy."

The blond-haired girl didn't have a chance to reply because a couple had entered the shop. The thought of leaving didn't even cross Tenten's mind because by the time she was done admiring the vast amount of flowers and the lights, which were tiny bulbs suspended in the air to look like stars, her new friend had already wrapped a bouquet and rung up the customers' purchase. "Self-trained, huh?" she asked as she made her way back to the brunette. "What kind of fighting style do you have? How do you get your weapons?"

At this, Tenten beamed proudly. "I can summon as many as I want."

"That's not fair! So weapons are your thing?"

"Yeah, I guess you could say that. And if I needed something I would probably buy it with the money I earn from tiny missions—you know, grocery shopping for the elderly, that sort of thing."

"Wow, I'm impressed, um—" The blonde laughed and extended her hand. "How could I have forgotten to introduce myself? I'm Yamanaka Ino."

Tenten smiled and shook Ino's hand. "Nice to meet you, Ino. I'm Tenten."

"So Tenten, what brings you here?"

The brunette recalled what Hiashi had called her job, but then thought of what it actually entailed and grimaced. "I'm err, peer tutoring someone."

"Like training?"

"More like reforming. Although it's not working at all."

"And who is your pupil?"

"His name is Hyuuga Neji—you probably know him, right?"

"Do I know him?" Ino laughed. "So _you're_ the girl everybody is talking about!"

Tenten blinked a couple of times, incredulous and flabbergasted. She knew she had been the main topic of gossip in the Hyuuga compound, but she had never expected this from the town as well. "What?"

"Oh, so you haven't heard? Hiashi-sama had been around town, casually talking with people, and I guess the topic of you and Neji just slipped out. And I usually know most of the village's gossip, so I was quick to hear about you. Let me tell you, there are so many girls that are jealous." Ino placed a slender finger her chin thoughtfully, but then leaned in close, a mischievous twinkle sparkling in her set of cerulean eyes. "So?"

"What do you mean, 'so'?"

"As in, what's he like? Does he have a soft side? Is he really that hot? I mean, tell me about him! I see him all the time at the hospital and during missions and all but he's still so mysterious. No one really knows anything about him. It's surprising that Hiashi-sama has been talking about him at all! Well, talking about his personal life, I mean."

Quickly reflecting back on her time spent with Neji, Tenten frowned before answering, "He can be difficult, but I've been managing. I think."

"Oh, there must be more to it. Come on, spill the juicy details!"

Tenten cast a sideways glance at her. "Why so interested?"

"Hyuuga Neji. Only sixteen years old, but is the first to have achieved the title of a Jounin in his age group. He has already developed his own techniques without anyone's teaching him. He was the top rookie in his academy years, favoured by all instructors, and even by other parents. He's the prodigy of his own clan, and his strength might even exceed Hiashi-sama's in a few years. Everyone's interested in him."

The only thing Tenten could manage to blurt out was, "But Neji's seriously not that great."

"Oh? Do tell!"

"Well, he's really cold and he doesn't listen to anybody outside the clan—or inside for that matter. Even Hiashi-sama has a hard time telling him what to do. For example, he won't take his medicine just because I brought it to him."

"That's pretty irrational of him. Strange. Wait, why is he taking medicine?"

"Cause I kind of injured him in battle."

"What?" Ino shrieked. "But how?"

"Yeah, it was nothing spectacular. He was already worn out and I took advantage of the fact that he had no chakra left."

"Still impressive. But hey!" Ino punched Tenten in the arm, and the latter was surprised by the weight behind the supposedly friendly gesture. "It means that he decided to fight you! He doesn't waste his time, so he must think that you're worth it!"

Tenten shook her head as she was driven back into her problems. "No it doesn't," she sighed miserably. "He only fought me because if he had won, he would have gotten the best reward: three days free of me. And now that I injured him, he hates me all the more."

"Aw, don't be discouraged. Neji is used to being alone so he's not used to the company. He's always depended on himself. It's what made him so strong in the first place."

"Can't you be strong and still be nice? Anyway." Tenten sighed, shoulders slumped. "I should get going. I have to get some herbs for Neji."

"I should get working on the new promotion poster," Ino said, gesturing towards the blank canvas paper behind the counter. "So I'll guess I'll see you around? With Neji?"

"Hopefully," Tenten replied with a smile. "It was nice meeting you, Ino."

"Wait, I have an idea!" Ino dipped her hand into the pocket of her orange apron, fished out a slightly crumpled sheet of paper and thrust it into Tenten's face. "This is the perfect solution for all your woes. Go to the Cherry Blossom Festival this weekend and bring Neji there. Walking isn't too strenuous for the injured and the environment is perfect for casual talk. And it's only the beginning of the week, so you'll have plenty of time to find the right moment to ask. You're welcome!"

Approximately an hour later, Tenten found herself standing in front of a store known for its variety of medicinal herbs. Behind the counter stood an old man. He was fairly short in height, his white silver hair was barely thick enough to cover his pale scalp and his skin creased as he squinted to scrutinise Tenten. He looked kind and harmless nonetheless, as a smile graced his wrinkly features when she regarded him with a question. "Hi kind sir, would you happen to have"—Tenten peered down to read a piece of paper—"Achillea millefolium?"

The old man paused as he began stroking his chin, appearing to be deep in thought. Then he shook his head. "Oh, I'm very sorry, young lady. Yarrow is very rare in Japan, and even if it is common, it doesn't grow at this time of year. Perhaps you would like to try another place? I recommend the one down the corner."

Tenten quickly thanked the old man for his time and headed for the exit. She sighed, feeling hopeless. This was the sixth place she had hoped would have the medicinal herb.

Sensing her sudden disappointment, the old man racked his mind for ideas. "Wait," he called out. Tenten turned around. "The plant commonly flowers from May through June. Even though that was some time ago, there may be some still living. The common yarrow is usually found in grasslands and open forests—there is a forest just a few miles north from here. Maybe you should try scouting that area."

Tenten's face instantly brightened. "Really? Oh, thank you, thank you so much!" She thanked the old man once more before leaving, eager to find this medicinal herb. The old man watched Tenten as she left the place.

"Whomever this medicine is for," he murmured softly, to no one in particular, "must mean a lot to her."

* * *

Tenten wandered through the forest aimlessly, in hopes of stumbling upon a yarrow plant soon. She had wandered farther than she had intended to. Yet the never-ending rows of trees seemed to never stop surrounding her whenever she tried to find a way out. In a desperate attempt to clear her mind, she lifted her gaze towards the sky.

Her eyes fixed upon the cliff above, frowning as she watched the thunderstorm located just a little over the horizon. She flinched as lightning splintered across the sky, which was quickly followed by a deafening rumbling that echoed throughout the forest. The wind picked up slowly but surely as she continued running, the murky clouds completely swallowing the stars and the moon. The sky, completely dark, made it difficult to see anything.

Then, as if her senses were not hindered enough, a flashback came to Tenten. This night resembled the night she had first come into Konoha, seven years ago; she had been a cold, lost and terrified nine-year-old. Why had she been there, all alone? What had happened? Why had her parents left her?

Tenten finally stopped running to catch her breath. This was pointless. Everywhere she went, she was met with darkness. The shadows of the trees were black, ominous and only broke up to reveal the sky that was a mere shade lighter. The storm continued to rage on, and Tenten had to cover her ears to muffle the crashing noises.

She knew that she had to head indoors if she didn't want to catch a cold. She knew perfectly well that it was dangerous to be alone in unfamiliar territory. She also knew that she should have chosen a better set of shoes, as her pair right now was completely soaked with wet mud yet somehow seemed to be getting dirtier with every step. But she continued running nonetheless, taking wobbly steps as the mud pulled her back and the rain began to fall in vicious sheets. Within moments she was drenched. Her head felt light and she felt her stomach begin to hurt from hunger, but she didn't stop—she couldn't. She had to find this herb.

And later on that night, when she finally made her way back to the Hyuuga mansion, she found herself wondering why she had gone the extra mile for the coldest person she knew.

* * *

He stood by the doorway and watched her. He couldn't help but scrutinise her in fascination.

Her exposed, porcelain-coloured skin glowed under the pale moonlight. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, as if she was rebelling silently against something. He wondered if she was thinking about her future, something she was afraid that she wouldn't have. Her silky brown hair was set loose, locks of dark chocolate cascading in waves that went beyond her shoulders, creating a brilliant contrast against the pale nightgown. The soft rays the moon emitted acted like a protective shield and landed haphazardly on her dress, giving her a heavenly appearance.

That rare beauty and serenity she possessed when asleep caused him to feel very unsettled. Maybe it was the lack of femininity she usually exuded that had created such a distinct contrast. There was something refreshingly new being emanated, yet he knew she was still the same girl he had met years ago. There was something in that comforting, soothing aura she emitted that made her presence so amiable, something that represented tranquillity yet temerity at the same time. The way her soft bangs flirted with the brisk late-summer breeze and swayed along the sides of her cheeks and forehead enthralled him.

Only in the presence of his private thoughts would Neji admit that she looked like a goddess.

He recalled his memories from just an hour ago, when Tenten had returned a little after midnight. Neji was still awake then, due to the unusual sleeping patterns he had grown accustomed to after years of long training hours. He was looking over some scrolls when he heard trembling, shaky steps. Frowning, he activated his Byakuugan to watch her as she made her way to her room. The mud that covered her sandals made it that much harder to walk and she almost fell when she took a large step. She was barely able to stand by the time she came back to clean the dirty floor, which was completely unnecessary because the clan had hired maids for a reason. He could have told her that, but he didn't; he didn't bother to make his presence known.

The one thing that especially drew his attention was the plant she had been holding the entire time. The grip she had on it was so tight it was as if it would disappear into thin air if she were to let go. It looked completely ordinary and was something one would expect to find a store, but the way she held onto it made him wonder if it was really that important to her.

When he was sure she had fallen into a deep slumber, he managed to enter her room without opening his wounds again. By now his legs were completely fine; only his shoulder had been badly injured. In fact, today he had taken advantage of Tenten's absence and had gone out for a stroll in the garden to ensure that his mobility was unhindered. It had only been one full day since their fight but he was already determined to get back on his feet. He knew his body could handle it. He had always been resilient, which was why he had no need for pathetic medicine or support from anybody. If anything, the gifts and wishes he had been receiving all day annoyed him.

It was quite overt that Hyuuga Neji refused to receive any help, yet, as blunt and direct he was about being unwilling to cooperate, _this_ girl wouldn't give up. He was leaning comfortably by the door frame, his arms crossed as he gazed at the sleeping girl. He had no idea why Tenten was so stubborn. Somehow, he couldn't bring himself to believe that she was doing it for her job anymore, even though it was the most reasonable and logical explanation. Maybe she truly wanted to be acquainted with him? He mentally asked himself a question, the one-worded question that he seemed to be asking himself repetitively these days...

Why?

Neji didn't exactly hate her. She was the person who had put him in his current state, but he had agreed to fight her in the first place. In a way, she wasn't at fault. He wouldn't go as far as saying he didn't mind her, but he had to admit that he was making her job more difficult than it needed to be.

Why was he being so difficult, anyway? She wasn't truly an enemy whom he hated. In fact, he didn't hold a grudge against anyone outside of the clan, unless they had done something particularly unforgivable to make him feel otherwise. That was the simple reason as to why he had comforted her at her time of need; he actually didn't mind being around some people and even held a small amount of respect towards them as long as they deserved it. Yet something about Tenten repelled him; it was most likely the fact that she had been sent as a means to coax him into serving the clan. He knew that by accepting her, he would be following the clan's request, thereby showing a sign of weakness, reinforcing his lack of power, not to mention freedom...

He had vowed to himself long ago that he would not resort to dying at the hands of the main household, not until he found his freedom at least. He wanted to walk down a path that was different from that of his father. His father had been honourable and strong, but he had died at an early age because of fate. Fate had decided his father's destiny from the moment he was born.

Neji, realising that he had dropped his eyes to the floor, lifted his gaze back to the sleeping girl that lay before his eyes. Then he said something even he didn't know he was capable of.

"Sorry," he murmured, his eyes not focusing on her. His voice was neither gentle nor quiet. The word was spoken curtly, intoned through his harsh, cold voice. He didn't know why he had said that, but it just felt like the reasonable thing to do. He then turned his back to her, pausing for a moment before returning back into his room. Tenten was asleep, he knew that, but somehow, he was unsure as to whether he wanted her to hear that or not.

He shook his head in disapproval when he found himself pondering over such a trivial matter. The word "pathetic" was an understatement of what he had become. His eyes narrowed as he realised that he was softening. Showing weakness after twelve years of training wasn't something he had planned. Closing his eyes, a new goal formulated in his mind. It was to get rid of his weakness, but that inevitably meant getting rid of her.

Could he bring himself to do that?

* * *

**A/N:** Hm… What to say about this chapter? Firstly, pretty much everyone knew it was Neji who comforted Tenten at her time of need... I mean, it's what I would call _fate_. (Remind you of a little someone? Three guesses who.)

Many thanks to all the reviews, I am so very grateful. :3

Much love,  
_Chigiri Sasaki_

_Posted June 2007, edited August 2013. _


	7. Protector

**Chapter Seven**

The next morning came quickly. After an endless search for that special medicinal herb, Tenten—much to her displeasure—was still vulnerable and weak. Her body threatened to collapse from extreme exhaustion every time she walked, even though it had been a few hours since she had rested at the Hyuuga compound. She mentally scolded herself for being so pathetic. A true ninja wasn't supposed to display any emotion of whatsoever. But then she remembered that she wasn't an official one. In fact, she technically wasn't even a citizen of Konoha, being one to live way down in the south, in a place that hardly anybody knew about.

But even though she hadn't attended the ninja academy during her younger years, she still considered herself a kunoichi. Even though she had woken up in the middle of nowhere, not knowing her name, she still knew how to talk and how to understand languages. She also had the ability to focus her chakra and summon weapons. Her parents must have not wanted her to be defenceless.

The past seven years, she had been busy polishing her skills. She was now definitely skilled enough to be qualified as a Chuunin, but because she wasn't part of an official team, she couldn't even register for the exam. This irked her; although she was happy that she was treated like any other regular person whenever she was in town, she did not intend to stay invisible and unnoticed. She wanted to be respected and well-known, much like the female of the legendary sannin, Tsunade. But considering her current status now—a _peer tutor_, out of all occupations, she felt that she still had a long way to go before getting her talents recognised.

The sun had already completely risen, its brilliant light pouring in shafts through the pale curtains above her bed. The rational part of her mind urged herself to leave the bed, in spite of her reluctance and her body screaming to lay still. She hadn't been assigned a specific time of day to wake up, but she could tell that even someone as considerate as Hiashi would expect her to get up at a reasonable hour.

She rolled over and sighed contentedly as she gazed up at her canopy bed. Long transparent fabric in a soft shade of lavender hung from the smooth wooden frame and various silk pillows in colour coordination were scattered among the mattress in which she slept comfortably in. She wouldn't deny it: even after two weeks of waking up to luxurious surroundings, she couldn't help but be awed by the glamour and richness Neji lived in. She couldn't even compare herself to him. He was richer in every aspect.

* * *

As Tenten descended the stairs and made her way towards the kitchen, a pleasant aroma of freshly cooked lunch began filling her senses. She absentmindedly fixed her ruffled hair into two messy buns and straightened her clothes in an attempt to look somewhat presentable. Despite her tired and groggy mood, she managed to find herself smiling because she knew that the Elders were attending an exclusive meeting this morning. She would suffer no disapproving glances today. With that knowledge she cheerfully walked towards the kitchen, humming a soft tune.

"You seem to be in a good mood today, Tenten."

Said girl beamed at the older man as she seated herself in a nearby chair. It was a rectangular table in a rather large living room, with most seats vacant due to the assembly. Hiashi was seated in the chair across from her, while Hinata and Hanabi sat on the left and right side of their father, respectively.

"I am in a good mood, Hiashi-sama," Tenten replied happily. "It's probably because I'm feeling a lot better today!" That particularly wasn't the main reason, but she didn't have the heart to explain truthfully.

Surprisingly, Hanabi did not make an insulting comment. Instead she remained sitting calmly in her assigned seat, occasionally poking her food with her utensils in an attempt to amuse herself. Perhaps Hiashi had had a talk with her and taught her the meaning of respect? Tenten nearly smiled at incredulity of the last thought and shook her head slightly.

"Glad to hear that, Tenten. So, I see you managed to find the rare medicinal herb. I am truly fascinated by that. How was it possible to locate its whereabouts? I myself have the Hyuuga bloodline limit but without that advantage, I'm positive that it would have been quite difficult to see, especially with that unforgiving storm."

"Well, you see," Tenten began, scratching the back of head sheepishly. She was rather nervous, since it wasn't everyday that she had the leader of the Hyuuga clan interested in her experience. "I guess I was just really motivated. I wanted to heal Neji's wounds as quickly as possible since I felt so bad about the damage I had caused. So I suppose I just decided to make finding the herb my only priority. It wasn't easy but I didn't want to give up either so I just kept looking—there was nothing else to it."

The older man's eyes glowed with pride, as if he was certain then that he had chosen the right candidate. "You may be as stubborn as Neji."

Tenten laughed, a little more to herself than anyone else. "With all due respect, that statement could not be more false. Neji won't take the medicine no matter what I say or do." She sighed. "I really hope that Neji would just reconsider this time. The doctor at the hospital said that yarrow intensifies the medicinal action of the herbs we already have. So it's really for his own good. I can't see why he wouldn't take it."

Hiashi chuckled. "Actually, he did."

Tenten nearly dropped her fork. "What?"

"H-he did," Hinata repeated. "He took a portion of the herb this morning and made the medicine himself. I reckon he does want to heal, but doesn't want to swallow his pride and accept anything that you give him." She giggled softly when the brunette blinked at her implication. "B-but you should give him another dose of the medicine after you finish your—err—breakfast. There's still some left in the pot."

Tenten was too stunned for a moment to speak. "Wow," she finally managed, a smile unfurling on her lips. "I definitely will."

* * *

"Who does Hyuuga Neji think he is?"

The acerbic question was voiced by the oldest Hyuuga Elder, Hyuuga Hideki, in a tone that made Hiashi's authority seem trivial. He was single-handedly the most venerable and illustrious member of the clan, and would have never stepped down from his leadership position if he had not been bedridden for a year after an almost fatal injury.

He glanced up to six other Elders, whom he had called earlier this morning for a meeting. Hiashi had not been invited because when it came to Neji, he wasn't as impartial as a leader had to be. "That boy needs to be put in his place."

"He thinks being a prodigy makes him exempt from following the traditions," Hisoka remarked. "What would happen to the clan if there was no weight behind its rules? He must be engaged by the end of this week."

Hisoka, barely an adult and the youngest of all the Elders, was the only one who sympathised with the prodigy. "Perhaps he already has someone in mind."

"That is impossible," Hisashi said dismissively. "He doesn't spend time with anybody but that commoner whom Hiashi hired."

"She is a disgrace," Hiroki muttered in disgust, recalling the time Tenten had shown up to dinner looking provocative. "Neji would not choose someone such as her."

"The clan would never approve, either," added Hitoshi. "Has the arrangement for Sato Mikya's arrival been made?"

"Yes," Hotaka replied, the corners of his mouth slightly lifting to show his being pleased. "She's already on her way. Her family sent her off the instant they received our letter of approval."

"Does Hiashi know?"

"He should be expecting it," Hideki replied, glancing at Hitoshi. "He knows we're going to bring her over no matter what he or Neji says." A shadow was cast over his pale eyes. "If Neji rebels, we will use the last resort."

Hisoka opened his mouth to protest, but the vigour and the unyielding adamance present in all the Elders' eyes made him stop short. The last resort was undoubtedly activating Neji's curse mark and inflicting crippling pain to his mind until he complied. Using pain to break one's spirit was, in every aspect, torture but it was what had kept the Hyuuga clan intact for so many years. The curse mark acted as a guarantee, a guarantee that ensured the survival of the main family, the Byakuugan and consequently, the future of the clan.

The Hyuuga Elders were unforgiving, cruel and often inhumane, but in a way it was their job to be so. They had been chosen to carry out their roles as both the protectors and decision-makers because they knew what was best for the clan. Without a council that was impartial, unaffected by bloodshed and willing to make necessary sacrifices, chaos would ensue.

Hisoka finally nodded in agreement. "What about Tenten? With Hiashi on her side we can't make her leave."

"She's not a deterrent," Hideki replied logically, albeit still with disdain. "Neji doesn't seem to have taken a liking to her."

"Things can change," Hisao murmured, his eyes strangely calm. He was the only other young Hyuuga Elder, perhaps nearing his thirties, and had been observing the minute changes in the Hyuuga prodigy. "I'll talk to the boy. Better yet, I'll talk to the girl."

No one in the room decided to object to Hisao's proposition, not because they necessarily agreed, but because it was Hisao. Out of all the Elders, he was perhaps the most acrimoniously sinister and merciless. His eyes held a strange blankness to them which did not falter even when he killed. His lack of humanity was the reason he was the Hyuuga's appointed executioner. He carried out them all flawlessly, for he simply didn't care.

"Very well," Hideki said with the unmistakable note of finality, getting up. "Meeting dismissed."

As every member exited the room, they passed by a window through which the afternoon sunlight penetrated. Seven Hyuuga crests, attached to each Elder's traditional robes, glistened ever so slightly.

* * *

Tenten felt her confidence falter with every step she took towards Neji's room. She suddenly didn't feel so sure of herself anymore, as if the whole self-assurance she had had was all just an act in front of the others. In her hands was a tray with a mug on it, the hot liquid it contained scorching with steam. Even though her pace had considerably slowed down, she eventually ended up standing in front of Neji's door.

"Neji," she said, tentatively. "I brought you your medicine. I'll bring it to you, okay?"

"Don't."

Tenten held back a sigh; why had she even hoped that Neji would act differently today? "But I brought you a medicinal concoction."

When she received no reply, she thought that he was giving her his silent consent. But even then, she felt hesitation holding her back, rooting her feet to the ground. Hinata's warning from her first day kept ringing in her head and with the words being chanted by her mind Tenten couldn't bring herself to move; what had she been thinking? Nobody entered his room—it was a given. He didn't enter anybody else's room and he expected the same treatment in return, which was, in a sense, very logical and very Neji-like. The only exception she knew of was the maid who had delivered his food, but that was only during the time he was truly bedridden and couldn't move. If he had gone to the kitchen to make his medicine this morning, however, it meant that he didn't need anybody anymore.

"No objections, right?" In spite of her determination to do her job right, she gulped. She could almost feel his infamous gaze on her through the door—the penetrating stare that could only be intensified by his Byakugan. She half-expected him to open the door that instant and force her back into her own room, or simply tell her to go away.

"Go away," his cold voice intoned.

Tenten nearly laughed at how predictable he was. Clearing her throat, she willed herself to act the way she needed to and not the way she felt. "Neji," she called out, standing closer to the door to make her voice a tad louder in his ears. "But it'll help you get back onto your feet. Don't you want to train?"

"Leave_._"

"But you already took some of it before! It's your own creation, anyway."

"Exactly, which means that I'm capable of making and taking medicine. I don't need you to fetch anything for me."

Suddenly Tenten felt stupid. Of course, why would Hyuuga Neji need her help? It wasn't as if he was paralysed or didn't know how to brew medicinal tea. He was perfectly capable of doing everything himself so he certainly didn't need or want her help—he had made that clear many times before so why had she come to his room expecting things to change? Shouldn't she be grateful that he had used the herb in the first place? The last bit of her resolve from this morning crumbled and she was left feeling like a complete fool.

"Leave," the prodigy repeated curtly. "I took it this morning. I don't need any more, so leave."

The sixteen-year-old kunoichi took a deep breath and forced herself to recall the reason for her being here. "You're supposed to take it a few times a day so you might as well take it now." Trying to conceal her uncertainty by lightening her tone, she added playfully, "What's the point of acting all macho and tough when you and I both know that you want to get better?"

When he didn't say anything, she suppressed the urge to sigh. "Okay. Think about it like this: I need to do my job, and you need to train. If you just drink this medicine, then you'll get better faster. Then both of us would be happy. Don't you want to get back to training?"

"I could go on like this all day," Tenten continued when she still received no reply. She expertly hid her exasperation. "You know, I don't know why you can't just drink it. It's going to take you like thirty seconds at most but you're just too stubborn to accept any kind of help so essentially you're implying that you would rather listen to me whine all day. I hope you do realise that cooperating with me is the most effective way to get rid of me—I will stay out of your hair once I finish my job. Since you hate me and I'm not thrilled about you, just work with me and I'll leave earlier! That'll be good for both of us, so just take the medicine. I didn't poison it, if that's what you're worried about—"

A tired sigh could finally be heard from the other side. "Leave it on the floor," his weary voice came through. Returning back to his sharp, cold voice, he added harshly, "And then leave."

Tenten laughed lightly—and in relief, too, because she had started to run out of things to say. "You're really polite, Neji," she exclaimed sarcastically. "Anybody would have the common courtesy to come out and personally take it. I'm not your slave. You don't pay me—"

"You are being paid, actually, so—"

"So," Tenten cut in, "as your peer tutor I can report to your uncle and tell him how you're not behaving."

The Hyuuga prodigy inwardly scowled at both the ironic and childish threat. Regardless of how idiotic her approach was, she did have a point. Hiashi still had power over every branch member in the family. He slid the door open rather roughly to face a surprised Tenten. "Medicine."

Tenten gave him the medicinal tea, which he drank in one shot, but quickly blocked his way when he tried to go back into his room. She winked playfully, laughing at his distressed and tired expression. "So you've finally come to your senses, Neji. But we're going to do something else!" Watching his eyes narrow dangerously, she couldn't help but laugh again, this time quieter due to his scornful look. "Did you think I was simply trying to get you to take the medicine? And relax," she assured him airily. "We're just going to pay the town a visit today! Think of it as a chance to stretch out your legs." She reached for his arm, but he instantly slapped her hand away.

"Don't touch me," he warned impassively. "I can walk."

Neji felt irritation build inside of him when he heard her humming a light tune. Her light, bouncy footsteps were annoyingly prominent as she followed happily behind him, her tied hair bobbing with each step. It bothered him endlessly; he wanted her to stop singing, he wanted her to stop walking the way she did, he wanted her to stop her annoying tricks and laughter altogether.

He wanted her _gone._

Neji scowled again at the happiness that graced the wrinkly features of Hiashi when they arrived at the gates. It certainly didn't help that Hiashi was absolutely ecstatic at the fact that Tenten hadn't broken down into tears yet. In fact, the leader was standing there proudly like an uncle who was going to escort his nephew and his nephew's soon-to-be wife.

Neji turned to Tenten. "Hurry up and carry out whatever torturous plans you have for me."

Only tinkling laughter erupted in response to his grumbling. "Why do you always think I'm going to torture you? Like I said, we're going into town to have a great time!" The brunette turned to the clan head. "See you later, Hiashi-sama!"

Hiashi smiled warmly at the two and waved goodbye. "Have a great time, you two."

"I doubt it," Neji muttered under his breath. Giving a slight nod of his head towards the clan leader, he began walking without waiting for the insufferable brat, who was probably informing his uncle about their whereabouts. His pace quickened and even began jogging slightly in hopes of losing that tutor of his.

But much to his disappointment, Tenten followed closely behind and even began talking excitedly as if he was interested in what she had to say. "It's such a nice day today, isn't it? Well, that's why I planned a nice trip for today. Even though I woke up at noon today, we still have at least half a day to wander around town. We need to pick up some groceries too; I mean, it isn't our job or anything, but I thought that we could do the maids a favour, since they work so hard. Last time I went to get some herbs for you I didn't get to go through every store! Shopping is sort of like a marathon, if you think about it, which is good for you. It's going to help strenghten your body so that you can train sooner. Doesn't this sound like a win-win situation? Okay, so where do you want to go?"

She stopped when he halted and spun around to face her. Due to his abruptness she only had a moment to regain her equilibrium; she managed to prevent the collision between her and his chest by a mere hairline.

When she looked up, she refrained from gasping. Practically looming over was Neji Hyuuga with his penetrating eyes boring into hers, his glare so intense it was practically invasive. "This is useless," he intoned emotionlessly. She could hear the underlying anger and irritation.

"What's useless? Nothing is useless in life." The brunette forced herself to keep her chin lifted. She refused to let his attitude turn her into a coward—she couldn't doubt herself if she wanted to do her job right.

"You're absolutely pathetic. I am not going to accompany you on some trip."

"I don't see why you're so against it. It's not like you can train or anything. Why stay cooped up in that room of yours?"

"It's better than being with you."

"Going out is good for you, you know. When was the last time you've been around town?"

"That is irrelevant. I'm going back."

"No you're not"—she stood in front of him, arms spread out—"because we just started to make progress." She bravely searched his eyes, trying to find some kind of justification as to why he was so unwilling to cooperate. She knew that he saw her concern as an act of pity, but why? She had never met anyone like him before. "Why refuse now?"

"You're foolish."

"I'm foolish for taking you out shopping? How is such an everyday thing foolish?"

"Because I don't go shopping."

"A change is good."

"You're kidding." His ivory eyes were blank but there was a frightening, acrimonious edge to them. "To think I would actually change after twelve years of training is pathetic, sad and pitiable."

"That's because you're not trying."

"What makes you think that I want to try?"

Tenten opened her mouth and closed it again.

"You've finally learned how to shut up." Neji took a menacing step towards her, closing the gap between them. "I don't need help from the likes of you. I don't need to be fixed, so go back to where you came from." He stepped aside and began walking again towards the Hyuuga mansion. He didn't bother to wait for her reaction. He inwardly smirked; maybe this was the last straw for her. Maybe he could finally gain back his old life back, where there was no annoying girl constantly bothering him—

Suddenly her voice shot back, equally as annoyed and full of mirth. "Look, Hyuuga Neji, I'm not dragging you on 'some trip' because I have to. It's because I thought that you would maybe like to do something else for a change! But of course you can't accept anything from anybody so all you see is a girl who's either pitying you or doing her job—but you know what? At this point it doesn't even matter. You're too deluded and jaded to understand anything!" This time it was her turn to walk up to him. "You know, it's not like I want to be the heroine of some drama who changes the heartless guy and proves to the world that the bastard everybody's scared of is not as tough as he seems. I don't actually care, alright? I try as hard as I do because it's my job and I want to live, unlike you. Since all you do is train and look down at people with your little glares and stares, why won't you go die in a hole? And don't you dare give me that I'm-bitter-cause-I've-seen-the-world bullshit. Self-pity doesn't get you anywhere, got that? The whole world does not revolve around you, so stop acting as if you're the only one suffering!"

Neji could only stare at her. Needless to say, he was speechless and shocked. "Excuse me?"

"You're not excused!" Tenten snapped angrily. "Now I have permission from Hiashi-sama himself so you cannot stop me, Hyuuga Neji. Follow me, cause we are going to shop!"

Too flabbergasted to even protest, Neji followed her. No one had ever dared to yell at him like that. People normally accepted his remarks no matter how insulting they were. No one had really bothered to fight back—not that they could stand up to the prodigy, anyway. Even the Elders kept their disappointment to a minimum, for he was the pride of the clan. Never had he seen such a girl.

Just who was she?

* * *

"Do you want to get some of those?" Tenten asked, pointing her finger at various stands containing trinkets and good luck charms.

"No," Neji answered shortly.

"Want to go there? Those clothes look really nice."

"No."

"Oh, the food looks pretty yummy! Do you—"

"No."

Hours after their dispute had taken place, Neji and Tenten were still walking around town. Their shopping trip was a failure to say the least, as the Hyuuga prodigy was keen on ignoring her. He was also keeping his distance, too, claiming that he would be the laughing stock of Konoha if he were to be spotted with a commoner. And even though he was complying with her rules—to follow her and not attempt to escape—he did not intend to cooperate with her in any other way. He hadn't entered a single store.

Tenten sighed. "Will you work with me?"

"No."

Neji inwardly smirked, as he was pleased with the progress they were making. She was frustrated and they both knew it.

He had a plan formulated. There were three ways to get rid of this girl. Firstly, he remembered the words she had said earlier: "Just work with me and I'll leave earlier!" If he were to work with her, he figured he would be left with the annoying brat for another two months. His second choice was to forcefully kick her out of the Hyuuga manor, but that wouldn't possible with Hiashi on Tenten's side. The last possibility was to make Tenten leave on her own accord, but that would only happen if she were to break down. Provoking her seemed like the easiest task to fulfil, so Neji was determined to make her life miserable.

"Okay," Tenten said with another sigh, "here's the deal. I have a friend whom I'm supposed to meet at the café restaurant down the—"

"Really?" Neji interposed, smirking the slightest bit. "Does that mean I can leave?"

Tenten fell silent. As subtle as it was, the slight upturn of the corners of his lips changed his appearance so much. Even though the half-smile only lasted for a brief moment, she felt something in her heart flutter. She could almost see someone really charming and attractive—almost.

Realisation suddenly dawned on her that Neji had already begun walking back towards the Hyuuga manor again, probably having assumed that her not answering was a "yes". She rolled her eyes and ran after the prodigy. "Hey—don't go! You're coming and that's it!"

Spinning him around, she put his surprisingly warm hand into hers and began dragging him towards the café restaurant. When she noticed that he hadn't jerked his hand out of hers yet, she felt something tug at her heart. It was the first time in two weeks that he had actually allowed her to touch him while in a conscious and relatively uninjured state. But the feeling disappeared as fast as it appeared though. She quickly buried the feeling underneath her anger and frustration towards the spoiled brat.

* * *

Tenten waited in line for tea alone while she waited for Ino. Neji had wordlessly seated himself. He didn't need to repeat himself again—she knew that it was disgraceful to be seen with a girl like her. She rolled her eyes at his uncharacteristic yet unsurprisingly ever-present pride. _  
_

She watched him from where she was standing inside the café; he was sitting at a small table in the corner of the outdoor patio. His elbows were placed on the cold marble surface, his chin resting on his hands. His head was hung low, his long hair covering most of his visage. Perhaps he was hiding from girls? She shook her head in disbelief. How could girls even admire him? His eyes were always so cold, and his frown seemed to be fixed there permanently.

She inhaled shakily when she found herself, yet again, doubting the chances of his being able to change. What he had said earlier was right—after twelve years of ruthless training in solitude to become so independent, would he really change just because she was here? And the fact that Hiashi counted on her only pressurised things. Hiashi had mentioned that he wanted Neji to become more normal and decent, but Tenten couldn't find anything decent about the unpleasant boy. Neji was simply bitter and cold, ruthless and cruel.

She sighed. The next six weeks were going to be long.

"Miss?" The high-pitched, chirpy voice cut into Tenten's thoughts. "Your order's ready. Just pick it up over there, okay?"

Tenten, quickly thanking the cashier and grabbing her order, stepped out of the café to find Neji. Careful not to spill the beverages, she slowly climbed the stairs leading to the patio, keeping her eyes on each step. When she caught sight of multiple pairs of shoes, she looked up to see that a group of wannabe thugs had blocked her path.

She mentally cursed. Unfortunately, she had left her weapons at the Hyuuga manor. She had assumed that a trip to the town would be harmless, which it still was; there was nothing she couldn't handle with sheer strength. There was no doubt that her fists alone were enough for something like this but she knew she couldn't hurt them unless they made a move on her first. She gripped her drinks tightly and stared at them coolly, hoping that they would back down. "Excuse me."

"I would let you go," the approaching boy said, leering as the rest began hooting and cornering her. His eyes were a light shade of grey, and his hair a light blond; he would have been attractive to Tenten if he hadn't flanked her in with questionable intentions. "I honestly would cause you're such a pretty thing, but it's almost dinnertime and I'm hungry."

Tenten wanted to grimace when he licked his lips, but refrained from doing so. "If you're hungry, go wait in line for food."

"How cute, how naive. All the more delightful when I have my way with you."

"What do you want?" Tenten asked lowly. It was a stupid question but she was trying to buy time. She couldn't knock them out; she technically could, but she didn't want to cause a commotion during rush hour or have the Hokage after her for violating the laws. Besides, these guys were ordinary people, a small gang of village boys who probably just entered adulthood and didn't know what to do with themselves.

"I want to know why a pretty girl such as yourself is wandering alone. How 'bout this, come with me and let's get a private room so we could have some real fun."

Temporarily forgetting about Neji, Tenten blatantly ignored the thug and headed back into the café in hopes of losing the gang. She was clearly aware of the scene they were making; although no one was trying to prevent them from approaching her, she saw various heads turning towards them. Some simply shook their heads and resumed their conversations, but the majority watched with fascination, as if they were being given a sneak peek of a highly anticipated movie.

The blond, presumably the leader by the way he spoke for everybody, suddenly grabbed her arm. "Why are you running from us?"

"Back off."

"Oh, she's a feisty one! Boss, I like," a riffraff behind Tenten murmured. She heard him licking his lips.

"Let me go," Tenten warned, narrowing her eyes. She gave her most intimidating stare to the blond still holding onto her. "Let me go before I pour both cups of tea down your pants."

The boy, who was unusually tall, leaned down and held her chin with his free hand. The smell of alcohol was suffocating. "There's a reason why no one is helping you. No one dares to defy me—not him, not her, not you." His voice was breathy. "Do you know who I am?"

"A day drinker, apparently."

"Clever one, aren't you?" His grip on her tightened, but Tenten's composure was unwavering. She remained defiant even when he placed his face so close to hers their noses were practically touching. "Wait until I shut you up—"

"Leave her alone."

The boy cornering Tenten stopped; the atmosphere suddenly grew cold when a dark aura surrounded the two. Before she could even register who had approached them, someone appeared in front of her, effectively disarming the unsuspecting thug. There was something about the cold edge in the stranger's voice that she recognised.

_Neji._

And her intuitions were right. There Hyuuga Neji was, standing so tall and strong it made her heart almost burst with pride to be by his side.

But the leader of the gang began erupting with laughter, and the rest of the group quickly followed suit. "Look," the leader jeered. He put his hands on his cheeks and opened his mouth in mock fear, his body trembling as he began laughing. "Oh, I'm so scared! A white-eyed freak is trying to start with me!"

The poor boy never saw it coming. In the next instant his body flew to the other side of the patio, the wood of the fence snapping in two as he fell through the newly made hole.

Tenten stared in shock, utterly speechless for a few moments. Neji had barely moved at all. The only thing she had managed to catch was the flick of his wrist and a mutter that was probably the name of the attack. Then a powerful gush of wind combined with chakra had appeared and blasted the thug away.

The café was now, unsurprisingly, enveloped in silence. Every customer and employee had stopped and turned their way—interested or not—and gaped at both Neji and the group of boys, eyes darting back and forth as if attempting to decipher the situation. Eyebrows raised questionably when they thought they recognised the Hyuuga prodigy and some furrowed in jealousy at the sight of Tenten.

"Leave," Neji said sharply, his voice especially clear in the now-silent café restaurant.

The group of boys' eyes widened when realisation finally hit them. This was Hyuuga _Neji_. Without a second thought, each of them mumbled an apology quickly towards Tenten and went over to help their leader up. The leader, however, refused to swallow his pride despite knowing the huge difference in his strength and Neji's. So he sent both of the prodigy and the girl beside him a resentful look before scrambling to his knees to run away.

When all of them were out of sight, murmurs and whispers began filling the café again, but most were about the incident that had just taken place. Tenten was tempted to yell that pointing fingers weren't polite, but her gaze was fixed on Neji, who wordlessly took his drink from her and walked back to their table.

"Neji," she whispered angrily after him. "What the hell was that? Now there's a giant gaping hole in the fence!"

"I can afford it. And if you hadn't been so pathetic, my interference wouldn't have been necessary."

"Me, pathetic?" Tenten made an effort to keep her voice low because there were already enough people watching. "They were the ones who were pathetic! I could've handled them all by myself, you know. I didn't want to cause any kind of commotion but obviously you had to be a hothead and use chakra on normal villagers! Now everybody's shaken up and who knows how expensive the reparations are!" She didn't mean to babble on and complain and insult him; she realised in a moment's time that she was actually trying to process what had just happened. Had he actually stood up for her?

"They bothered Hinata before, and I got blamed for not doing anything," Neji stated simply. He looked at her with a hint of disdain. "I didn't do it for you."

With that being said, he walked out carelessly, leaving the untouched drink on the marble table. He ignored her shouts of protests when she tried to make him stay.

Tenten felt her heart sink as she collapsed back into her seat. There was no doubt that she was the worst tutor the world had yet to meet; instead of encouraging Neji to become more open, she had ironically refused his help and even complained about it because she thought she was a capable ninja. Instead of helping him work through his personal problems, all she had done was complain about her own. Instead of helping him train, she had rendered him injured.

No wonder Neji hated her.

He had everything already. He most definitely didn't need to deal with her. He most definitely didn't need help from her.

What could she offer, anyway? She had no title as a ninja, no money, no status—she didn't even have a last name. And after she was done at the Hyuugas', she would once again be hidden in the world. Her presence would be gone and nobody would even care. Sadness projected through her eyes as she stared at nothing in particular, her shoulders slumping from dejection.

"There you are, Tenten!"

A bubbly and feminine voice broke into her thoughts and she looked up to meet a pair of sparkly cerulean eyes. Tenten felt heart lighten as she stood to hug her friend. "Hi Ino," she cried, feeling a tiny bit relieved. "I thought that you wouldn't come."

"Nonsense," Ino assured her. Laughing, she punched her fist into the air. "I may be tardy at times but Yamanaka Ino does not forget anything!"

The unfamiliar girl beside Ino snorted. "And that would also explain why you forgot all the answers to your tests." She flipped her pink hair back and her emerald eyes flashed with in triumph when Ino turned beet red.

"Oh come on, that was years ago! And that was just _one _test! And it was ridiculously hard!"

"Oh, and that would explain _my_ perfect score."

Tenten, bemused, stared at the two as they started bickering.

"I almost forgot!" Ino suddenly exclaimed, temporarily forgetting her rivalry with her friend. "Tenten, this is Haruno Sakura, my super nerdy best friend. And Sakura, this is Tenten, the super nice girl who's tutoring Neji, but you already know that, and—"

"Yeah, yeah." Sakura airily waved off the introductions and sat across Tenten, her emerald eyes sparkling. "So, tell me Tenten, what just happened here? We saw Neji's attack, but by the time we got here, everything was normal again!"

"Oh yes, do tell," Ino added eagerly, seating herself.

"Well," Tenten began, "so before I got some tea for Neji and myself, but on my way back to our table, a group of wannabe thugs just appeared." Sakura and Ino nodded keenly, their eyes slightly wide as they pressed her to go on. Tenten sighed after she finished recalling the rest of the incident. "So basically, I'm a horrible and ungrateful person."

"Aw, don't say that," Sakura said. "Neji, out of all people, would understand the need to be independent and prove oneself. And it's not like he's entirely grateful for everything himself. You're giving him a taste of his own medicine." A slow smile unfurled on her lips. "You know, in a way, you guys are very similar."

"Please don't say that," Tenten laughed. "He's so difficult."

"But he also stood up for you," Ino pointed out. "How's everything else going?"

"Equally terribly."

Ino smiled as she positioned herself comfortably on the chair and Sakura followed suit. "I love stories and we've got time! Spill."

And Tenten did; she told her newly made friends everything and anything, pausing from time to time to watch their reactions. She felt the stress slowly flow out of her system as she complained about Neji's lack of interest in anything, the clan's disapproving glares at her, Hanabi's unwelcoming tricks, and the tutoring job she unfortunately had that was destined to fail.

"I just don't know what he's thinking!" Tenten cried near the end, burying her face in her hands. "One day he actually accepts my presence but then the next day comes and he'll completely ignore and insult me!"

"It's alright. Just stay insistent," Sakura told Tenten sympathetically, sipping Neji's untouched drink. "You still have lots of time left—there's more than enough, actually—to make him change. Neji's just a tougher case, that's all. Everyone will change eventually. Just give him some time, Tenten."

"That's the thing though. I have a month and a half to do the impossible."

"A lot can happen in that time. Don't give up; I know for a fact that Neji hates quitters."

Tenten fell silent for a bit.

"Neji's past has always been a bit of a mystery, so maybe that's what traumatised him or something," Ino said thoughtfully, grabbing the tea from Sakura's hands to have a sip. "He mentioned something about his past during the Chuunin exams a few years ago, you know. I don't really remember much, but I think he lost his parents. I remember feeling really sorry for him."

"Really? What did he say?"

"Sakura," Ino said, "do you remember? It's been like what, four years?"

"I thought your memory was infallible," the pink-haired girl countered sardonically, ignoring the light shove that came her way. With a more serious note, she continued, "He didn't actually say much. He only revealed a little bit and that was for the sake of putting his opponent down—he said that fate was the reason why he had lost both of his parents. Then he proceeded to say that it was also fate that would make him the winner, which is what actually happened."

Ino snorted. "That wasn't the wheel of fate spinning. That guy from the Sand Village was obviously way weaker. But yeah, I think I sort of remember now—I wonder what had really happened to him."

"Me too," Tenten murmured, eyes distant from wonder. "He doesn't talk about his parents, that's for sure."

"Why would he?" Sakura mused. "I wouldn't if I lost my parents."

"I would be traumatised too," Ino agreed, nodding. "So don't give up, Tenten! Did you expect him, Neji out of all people, to start changing only after two short weeks? You know how he acts. Did you actually think that he would suddenly become a cuddly bear with a heart that's soft and glows with kindness?"

Tenten giggled. "Well, when you put it like that, then no, not exactly."

"Precisely. So break it down into steps. The first step in making a breakthrough is spending time together! Did you ask him to the Cherry Blossom Festival yet? It's this weekend."

Tenten shook her head. Honestly, it hadn't crossed her mind since Ino had mentioned it to her. She knew for a fact that Neji hated crowded places and after today's events, she wasn't particularly eager to convince him to do anything anytime soon.

"Well, you better today or tomorrow!" Sakura insisted. "But you have to prepare though—first things first. What are you wearing?"

Tenten shrugged. "What I'm wearing now?" She looked down at her her usual attire, an outfit that consisted of a white Chinese-styled shirt with crimson-coloured baggy pants. "Is there something wrong with it?"

"Is there something wrong with it? Of course there's something wrong with it!" Ino shrieked, standing up. "It's fine for training and all, but really, Tenten, for a festival? Girl, we need to get you some clothes right now! Let's go!"

"But Hinata already gave—"

"Still not enough!" Sakura gleefully replied.

Tenten's shout of protests were ignored by Ino and Sakura as they dragged her down the street, one pulling on each hand. Ino giggled as she announced their first stop. "The Konoha mall!"

* * *

The sun had already disappeared and the moon had risen. Neji sat motionlessly on his bed with his eyes vacant, his thoughts far away. Memories of today's events flooded his mind. Why was he still bothered by the guys that had attacked Tenten? He frowned. He could have left while he had the chance, yet he had decided to interfere. Why? The conclusion he had come to made perfect sense: it was the right thing to do, especially since they had bothered Hinata before. Yet the anger he had felt and was feeling now—it was unsettling.

He was vaguely aware of the fact that Hiashi and Hinata were still downstairs waiting for Tenten by the main entrance. He didn't know why they were so ridiculously concerned. They had interrogated him about her whereabouts the instant they had seen him without her and even though he had reassured them, they were still apprehensive. Why were they so worried about a commoner? It wasn't like she was valuable to the clan.

The Hyuuga prodigy, on the other hand, wasn't the slightest bit troubled because he knew that Tenten was fine; he had remained long enough at the café to see her meeting up with a blonde and a pink-haired girl. Not that he would have actually cared enough to stay if he had known otherwise—he just knew for a fact that he would be blamed if anything were to happen to her.

His frown deepened. Tenten wasn't important to him in any way or form, yet despite the fact that he had clearly established her insignificance in his mind, her words from this morning were floating in his mind.

_"Self-pity doesn't get you anywhere, got that? The whole world does not revolve around you, so stop acting as if you're the only one suffering!"_

Approaching footsteps were suddenly heard after what felt like an eternity and he felt a familiar presence in front of his door. It was Tenten, no doubt about it, bringing his medicine in hopes that he would drink it. He had a feeling they would go through the same process all over again, with his refusing and her persuading.

He frowned. "I don't need the medicine."

A sigh was heard through the sliding door. "Really, Neji?"

"Really."

"Are you serious?" Tenten cried exasperatedly. "We're going through this again? Do you want me to lose my voice from whining every single time?"

"I already took it."

"Nice try. I was told that you went straight into your room after dinner, and you know that you have to drink the tea after every meal. You know, it took me half an hour to brew it, not to mention that I used the yarrow I had found only after hours of searching. I thought my hard work would move you somehow but I guess it didn't. You're just a cruel, heartless jerk, Neji. You know that? I can't believe—"

The door suddenly slid open. Neji wordlessly took the drink from Tenten, placed the cup to his lips and gulped its contents down his throat. "There," he said shortly. "I drank it. Now leave."

Tenten was at loss for words. Today was, by far, the most surprising day since she had arrived at the Hyuuga manor two weeks ago. Although Neji was still far from being decent, he had done things today that made her heart swell indescribably.

"Neji, wait," she finally called out when he was about to shut the door on her. The prodigy stopped, an indication that he was listening. "Thank you," she said softly. "Thank you for drinking the medicine, again. And thank you for defending me earlier."

"I didn't do it for you."

Even though that response was more than expected from the cold-hearted prodigy, Tenten still felt a twinge of disappointment. "You know, it wouldn't hurt to act a little nicer. It's not hard. Just don't be so—so you."

"But this is who I am."

"You're absolutely impossible, you know that?"

"So are you," Neji simply retorted before retreating back into his room without another word. He failed to notice his uncle and cousin who were standing in the dark, watching the entire scene.

Hinata whispered to her father as she watched Tenten grumble to herself. "Neji-nii-san and Tenten-chan are really getting along, aren't they, Father?"

Hiashi smiled. "Indeed."

* * *

**A/N:** Some unbelievably cliché ideas with the whole damsel-in-distress bit and bring-the-new-girl-shopping but hey, it was enjoyable to write! I am unashamed.

Thank you Philyra for putting up with me and thank you for reading!

Much love,  
Chigiri Sasaki

_Posted June 2007, edited August 2013. _


	8. Chapter Eight: Giving Up

**Disclaimer/Note:** I don't own anything of Naruto. This chapter is dedicated to machineface, simply for being a totally awesome supporter :) .

And much thanks to Philyra for beta-ing my story! :)

**Destined to Love****  
**_By: Chigiri Sasaki _

Summary: He was a prodigy, with a damaged past and no future. She was a commoner, with a hidden secret. Strung together by fate, it was only a matter of time before she changed his life forever. AU, NejiTen

**Chapter Eight**

Tenten is persistent.

Neji drew out the obvious conclusion as he gazed upon his reflection in the hot liquid.

It was the weekend and early in the morning, his favourite time of day; it was the most suitable time for training as well, seeing that the air was not as polluted. Training was the only time where he could find a quiet sanctuary of his own, but lately, Neji found himself helpless in his room. His mind reminded him once more of the reason why he was here and not outside training. He was told to rest for two weeks to fully restore his health and reduce the chance of his wounds reopening again. But although he had reasoned with his uncle Hiashi, Tenten had insisted for him to follow Tsunade's orders.

Feeling slightly uncomfortable and irritated about his predicament right now, the only thing he could do was stare back at his reflection and listen to Tenten babbling away about the least interesting things by his door. Her dreams, wishes and many things that he didn't want to hear about.

And it was odd, because while he was bothered by the uninteresting thoughts she was sharing with him, she acted as if the world couldn't get any better. Even without looking at her, he could tell that the cheerful grin was perpetually attached to her face. She laughed as if oblivious to his constant ignorance, and smiled as if she finally found her long lost parents. But either way, he listened quietly while he silent prayed for her to leave him alone for good.

"It was really different to hear a kunoichi's talents being recognised by Konoha. Ever since then, I've always wanted to become like Tsunade-sama. I wanted to prove myself, you know? Of course, you would understand the feeling since you train everyday… I would love to train with you. I need to become stronger! And hopefully I would be able to beat you too! Then I would finally be acknowledged as the strong kunoichi that earned her fame from hard work. And by then, maybe, maybe I would be with my parents, living happily. But…" Her body subconsciously began to tremble.

"But what's the point?" Tenten finally demanded, her voice cracking. "I don't even know who my parents even are, I don't know where they are… then _why_…? Why can't I just give up?!"

Neji's eyes instinctively narrowed when he felt the sudden tension between the two. Through the white canvas he noticed the shadow of her hand as she raised it and rested her fingertips on his door handle.

"It would be _so_ much easier," Tenten continued quietly. "I hate always having that one strand of hope to keep me going everyday. But at the same time, I just want to believe in hope even though it's not reality, because… because my desire is that strong and it would_ kill_ me if I didn't try my hardest. But then I would find myself thinking, 'what if I _still _won't be happy'? Then I would think maybe everything I'm doing really isn't worth it. Maybe me staying with the Hyuugas for money to survive is really just something to temporarily fill in the empty void in my heart." She paused. "I always thought that, and went on with whatever I was doing because I didn't want to think about it. I… I guess I never wanted to believe that I was alone in this world."

A long period of silence followed as her wistful words resounded in the air.

"Did you ever feel alone, Neji?"

The sudden inquiry caused Neji to blink a few times. Another moment of silence followed as he pondered over whether he should answer the question or not.

But to tell one the truth, he really didn't know what to answer her. He was always alone. Throughout his life, he had acted bitter towards everyone ever since his father's death—it had always seemed like the right solution to prevent himself from getting hurt again. Shutting everybody out of his life avoided any interaction and it averted any betrayal that could have been made. In his eyes, silence was a more preferable companion than sounds of meaningless words that supposedly provided comfort and reassurance. It offered the truth.

Neji accepted long ago that what life offered him was enough. He didn't dare to dream high or for the impossible; it was better to keep his personal thoughts realistic, for there was no point in disappointing himself time after another. He couldn't possibly depend on anyone, or become too emotionally attached to others. Everybody had a different path that they ought to follow, a dream they desired more than anything, and a destiny that was decided before their first breath was taken. That, he _knew_, was how life went. It didn't matter if he was alone or not.

Neji opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Instead, he watched as his door slid open ever so slightly, but it was a gap that was too small and too subtle to be accounted as a difference. "Is that why you're so cold? Because you had no friends?" Tenten inquired softly.

His eyes remained fixed upon the gap between the wall and his door. "No." _You don_'_t know anything about me. _

In a moment her whole figure came into view. It didn't take another second for Neji to realise that Tenten had entered the room, knowing that he clearly did not give her his consent. His eyebrows furrowed as he glared at her expectantly, his grip on his tray tightening by the moment while waiting for her to give an explanation.

"Tray and cup," she murmured blatantly in a tone that acted as if it explained everything. Without another word she bent over to take it the tray from his grasp.

Neji kept quiet. His penetrating gaze was fixed on Tenten's back as she headed towards the exit, knowing his glares caused extreme discomfort. Neji smirked when Tenten instantly quickened her pace and slid the door close.

* * *

Tenten released her breath when she exited. She had almost forgotten to breathe when she felt the intense tension lingering in the air. His stare alone was frightening enough; it was so focused that she was sent into a panicking state from the amount of attention she was receiving. At that moment, even a simple friendly hand gesture from him would light up her face, but he kept his cold, deadly silence, scrutinising her in a way that made her feel like he was searching through her soul itself. It was becoming quite frustrating, actually. Just a bit.

Tenten kept her eyes on the wooden floor as she walked back towards the kitchen. A series of footsteps that unquestionably belonged to a female then resounded in the hallway; she frowned as she lifted her gaze. The way the female's heels clicked was unfamiliar, but she could already picture the stranger's personality already—rich, disrespectful and unbelievably stuck-up.

Tenten came eye to eye with a black-haired girl that seemed to be around her age. The stranger had an oval shaped visage, skin pale as white and completely flawless. Long, silky, black hair that tumbled down her shoulders swayed to the late summer breeze, creating an interesting contrast to her colourless skin. Her dark eyes flashed dangerously upon meeting Tenten and her perfectly shaped eyebrows furrowed. Her pale pink lips pressed into a thin line as as she attempted to find a justification as to why a seemingly poor commoner was wandering through the corridors of the rich Hyuuga manor.

"I'm Mikya Sato, the daughter of a very rich feudal lord from the Bird country," she said proudly, forgoing all greetings and manners.

"Hi?"

There was no need in saluting someone that clearly did not possess the Hyuuga blood. "What are you? A maid? God knows why they let filthy peasants in for cleaning."

Tenten felt her jaw drop. "I'm Neji's peer tutor, _Tenten_," she replied hotly, ignoring the fact that Mikya grimaced at the word 'tutor' and sniffed disdainfully. "I'm staying here for another six weeks to spend time with Neji. I'm assuming that you're not a Hyuuga either, so what brings _you_ here?"

Mikya instantly lit up, as if she was waiting for the moment to announce something. She cleared her throat.

"I am Neji's _fiancée_," she answered haughtily with conceitedness that would put Neji's pride to shame. After noticing Tenten's reaction of shock and confusion, a smug expression crossed her face.

"Now move. I need to go unpack. And wasn't it so nice and reasonable of Hiashi to place me in the room next to my future _fiancé_? You better not get in my way." Mikya's already dark eyes darkened with hatred towards Tenten when she stepped aside. She lifted her chin high and began walking in a ladylike fashion, but she suddenly stopped when her shoulders aligned with Tenten's.

"Now heed my words," Mikya said gravely, her voice suddenly completely different and uncharacteristic. "Do not meddle with family issues."

The brunette was left to only gape after Mikya's figure as it retreated into her new room beside Neji's. Tenten had a deep gut feeling that there was more to Mikya's words… What did she mean by 'family issues'?

But Tenten found herself quickly thinking about something else though; her thoughts had drifted back to the engagement that would be arranged in the near future. Neji and Mikya, a couple? When Mikya first informed her, Tenten nearly choked at the incredulity of it. But Neji was going to be engaged at the age of _sixteen_? And to _her_, out of all people?

Tenten quickly composed herself and continued her task to return the tray back to the kitchen. It certainly didn't matter to her. Neji was mean, Mikya was mean, she reminded herself. They were perfect for each other. It wasn't like she cared. She had a job to do and she was determined to complete it; a relationship between Neji and Mikya during her ten weeks left here wouldn't bother her at all.

_Right?_

Tenten shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind; she had strangely allowed her mind to dwell on it, although she was unsure as to why. She was here to tutor Neji, not to be concerned about family issues. Hiashi should have told her about that before she initiated her job though; a major factor such as that should not go by uninformed! She knew almost everything about the clan, from the customs they had to their techniques they used. But Neji's engagement? Now _that_ was something she didn't know about!

She also didn't know why it bothered her so much.

* * *

  
Mikya stopped for a moment after entering her room, carrying her heavy luggage with ease. She placed them down carefully and looked at the room she was going to sleep in everyday until she earned the clan's trust. Lavender-coloured curtains hung loosely to block most of the sun's brilliant rays, the cloth that draped over the canopy bed being the same shade. She sighed contentedly as she found the place a satisfactory one to live in for the next two weeks.

Two weeks.

Two weeks was the exact amount of time the Raikage gave her to complete her mission.

Mikya had been recently asked to figure out the secret of the Byakugan. Her father, the Raikage, had been after it ever since the Hyuuga heiress's third birthday, where he had sent the lightning village's head ninja to obtain the secret by kidnapping Hinata. But the ninja had failed to do so and ended up getting killed. The Raikage, satisfied with the outcome, knew that it was the perfect opportunity to demand for the assassin's dead body, since they were able to claim that Konoha had broken their pact. After a long time of discussing and debating, Konoha agreed to their deal—a life for a life. Much to his pleasure, the person that killed their ninja was the head of the clan, Hyuuga Hiashi.

They had finally gotten their chance to reveal the secret that the Hyuugas have been protecting for all these years. But something was wrong. They couldn't find any traces of the Byakugan in the dead body of Hyuuga Hiashi, someone who clearly possessed the bloodline limit. This clearly meant their plan had failed.

It was only now that they discovered the truth behind the replica; a group of ninjas from their village had visited Konoha a few years ago. The clan head was spotted alive and well training with another Hyuuga. After the sight was reported, the Raikage was completely outraged. From that point on, they were seeking revenge.

And their opportunity recently came. When they heard that a certain Mikya Sato was going to be sent to Konoha to wed Hyuuga Neji, the Raikage jumped at the chance. With his mind driven by nothing but the desire for revenge, the Raikage had immediately sent the most elite Jounin in the village to the Bird country to kill Mikya the day before she departed. The kunoichi easily fulfilled the Raikage's wish.

The feudal lord was completely devastated at his beloved daughter's death. He was so overwhelmed the reason why she was killed and who her murderer was escaped his mind. He didn't even notice the fact that the messenger bird he had sent to the Hyuugas to inform them of the news didn't return.

So the young lady who stood amongst the room was not actually Mikya Sato. She was actually Akira Suzuki, an elite seventeen year old Jounin who was simply disguised as Mikya. Akira was told to keep her disguise at all times. Performing the transformation jutsu constantly without a single flaw was difficult, but Akira had enough skills and chakra to maintain it with ease. Blessed with the most talent in her clan, the Raikage himself personally sent her to be the impersonation of Mikya and to be the assassinator of the bird country's feudal lord's daughter as well.

"The mission is to study their techniques and discover their weaknesses. Revealing the secret of the Byakugan is a must," Akira murmured to herself, so softly that it was barely audible, repeating the order she was given word per word. Her father had strictly forbidden her to lose focus or to leave any evidence that would reveal her true identity. She would have to do whatever it takes to complete her mission, even if it meant killing another person. "Get rid of any obstacles, and remember to flee before they discover your true intention. In order to complete the task, become Neji's chosen candidate that is suitable enough to be his wife. It is the only way to earn his and the clan's trust. After finding out their secrets from Hyuuga Neji…"

Only her mind finished what was left unsaid.

_Kill him._

* * *

The end of the day came quickly. The darkness of the cool night had already spread throughout Konoha, soft moonlight peeking through the rare openings of the murky clouds. Despite the torches placed in the corridors, the air was chilly in the Hyuuga compound, sapped of heat by the rising moon and the building thunderstorm located just a little over the horizon. Tenten found it odd that there was no rain pouring.

The place was strangely quiet. Not that it was usually noisy, but as she was walking each step she took echoed eerily, almost as if she was walking through a cave alone instead of the incredibly clean and rich Hyuuga estate. Tenten's mouth formed the word 'oh' as realisation dawned on her; Hinata had told her earlier that day that all members of the main household were supposed to attend a meeting at ten o'clock, hence the strange and eerie silence.

She was walking towards Neji's room, deciding to let him drink a dose of the medicine before going to bed. A frown found its way to her lips as she thought about the day's events. The day was unquestionably unpleasant, considering the fact that Mikya continuously followed Neji, and the fact that Neji didn't do anything about it. And it certainly didn't help that Mikya treated her like dirt.

Tenten shook her head fervently and did not allow her mind to dwell on it. She was here to complete her job; she was here to change a cold-hearted jerk as well as earn some money, because she needed to survive and she needed to live her life. Tenten sighed. She just wished that she didn't have to remind herself so many times, because each time she did, the words sounded more and more hollow.

Tenten sighed jadedly as she stood outside of Neji's room, because she had never felt this tired in her life. Her weariness must have affected her senses too, because she didn't notice a person appear behind her. Before Tenten even had the chance to turn around, she felt a strong hand push her forward from behind and she was sent sprawling across the floor. The clatter of the mug shattering resounded in the air.

"It's ten o'clock yet a certain poor someone is here, in front of Neji's room, knowing that she shouldn't be out in the hallways at such a time." That someone behind Tenten spoke in a sickeningly sweet voice. "Why is that?"

Tenten turned around slowly to meet the egotistical candidate Mikya with hard eyes. She instantly got to her feet, leaving the mess untouched. "I'm here because he needs to have his medicine," she hissed angrily, "and what is _wrong_ with you? It took me half an hour to brew that with the rare herb_—_"

"_Medicine_?" Mikya stared at Tenten with scepticism. "Why did you say _medicine?_ Why on earth would my Hyuuga Neji need _medicine_?"

Mikya's fathomless eyes were as dark as ebony, the contrast between her pools of black and her pale skin giving her a ghostly appearance. And they only darkened when she drew out the conclusion. "You," she cried, pointing a finger accusingly at her, "you _hurt_ him, didn't you?"

Tenten winced slightly. "It was an accident, really, I hurt him during a fight and—"

"I can't believe you hurt Neji!" Mikya exclaimed, rudely cutting her off.

"I told you, it was an accide—"

"I don't care what it was_—_you still hurt him!" It seemed that even Mikya knew she was being unladylike, because the next thing she did was inhale deeply. "But you know what?" she said after a moment of silence. "You've done enough, so just leave_—now_. I couldn't care less of what would happen to you, but I'm warning you now. Stay away from Neji."

Tenten's eyes widened. "What?"

"Did I stutter? Or are you deaf?" Mikya glowered and advanced towards the brown-haired kunoichi. "I _said_, stay away from Neji. You've had your chance when I wasn't here. But since I am now, I'm going to be his wife, not you. Got that?"

"Look, I'm just his tutor, nothing else. I'm here to train with him to make him stronger and—"

"I know what you're doing, you fool," Mikya seethed, her eyes gleaming with anger. "But I've been talking to Hiashi, and he said that Neji's changing because of you. _I'm _supposed to be the one to do that because_ I'm_ his future wife. And what are you?" She paused to sniff disdainfully. "A commoner. A poor, pathetic loser. It's almost pitiful, really."

"I respect your wishes, Mikya," Tenten said through gritted teeth, "and I know that it is common to feel that way if you feel that your position is jeopardised. But I can assure you this. I am nothing more than a tutor to Neji's eyes."

Mikya scoffed. "I don't need you to assure me, you fool. I know you're not a threat, because, after all, it _is _me," she said haughtily as she smoothed out her long silky hair. "Why they let someone filthier than a dog in is beyond me. Why was I ever worried?"

That was the last straw.

"_Excuse_ me?" Tenten cried angrily. "Who do you_ think_ you are? You have no right to tell me what I should and shouldn't do, and _especially _who I am, you filthy bitc—"

It seemed that Mikya had a tendency to interpose because she made Tenten stop again. With a glare that seemed perpetually attached to her face, Mikya took another step closer until their noses were almost touching. "I _think_ I am the daughter of a very respectable and rich feudal lord _and _the chosen candidate to become Neji's wife. I'm going to do whatever it takes… So unless you want to get hurt, _stay away_ from Neji. Am I making myself _clear_?"

Mikya didn't bother to wait for a response; with that being said, she shoved Tenten and she fell again, face down on the hard surface of the wooden floor. Tenten mentally cursed; the movement was so sudden and abrupt that her mind didn't have the time to process what was happening.

With her pride hurt and her whole body aching, Tenten used her arms as support to push her body up. Her head was lifted and she was left to watch Mikya as she walked away, but her gaze then dropped to the smashed cup and spilled drink. Sighing out of hopelessness, she decided to use the rest of the medicine that remained in the pot, but she did not want to do anything for the moment. She simply sat there, hugging her knees as she buried her head into her arms, trying to find an escape from this misery.

Tenten was always unknown, but now, she would much rather be invisible than being noticed and despised. She suddenly thought of her lonely home, where only a few knew about and went there without the intent of insulting her. But here she was, a stranger temporarily living in the huge Hyuuga manor tutoring a cold-hearted jerk who hated her. She never felt so unwanted in her life—she wanted to quit and leave, but the fact that she needed the money held her back, preventing herself from doing something that she knew that she would regret later on. But it hurt. It hurt her to endure this every day. To feel useless, unwanted, disliked _all_ the time, with no escape from this all…

Angry pent-up tears threatened to fall out of her large hazel eyes as she punched the wall, everything done in hopes of letting out all the frustration that was building inside of her. "What did I possibly _do_ to deserve this?" Tenten asked miserably, her voice bitter. "What did I _do_?"

* * *

Hyuuga Neji hated feeling weak.

He hated to feel vulnerable, unable to train even though he was perfectly able to walk. All missions that were assigned and offered to him recently were rejected by the clan head, the reason being that Neji was unprepared and not ready for hand-to-hand combat fighting. It irked him to no end to know that each day he'd have to wait helplessly until medicine was brought to him by…

His eyes narrowed. He hated being nurtured by that girl_—_the useless girl who had caused the current predicament he was in. He was determined to beat that girl if they ever decided to commence another match. His eyelids then felt unusually heavy and his eyes eventually closed.

Although she gave the impression of an innocent commoner who didn't possess any ability to fight, Tenten was actually quite the opponent. Her specialty in weapons was proven to be useful against taijutsu. Maybe it would be helpful if she was his opponent during his training sessions.

Yet there was the problem with Mikya. She, being the daughter of a rich family, was encouraged to be his fiancée. But Neji didn't see anything different with her; all she did was stand in front of his door for hours, talking about the least interesting things. Neji didn't like or hate Mikya, but he was certain that she wasn't going to be his wife, especially after hearing the riot she just caused outside. Although it was annoying, he was not bothered enough to go outside.

His thoughts came to an end as the door slid open soundlessly. A frown made its way to his lips when he felt the atmosphere suddenly turn warm. And that scent of hers—a light, fruity aroma that filled his senses. He growled. It was his _tutor_.

His eyes snapped open to discover that a tray was placed on his lap. His gaze drifted upwards, seeing Tenten standing by his bed rather stiffly, her head hung low so her bangs would create a shadow that covered her eyes. She was oddly silent, completely forgoing her usual greeting and salutations.

But Neji ignored the sudden change in Tenten's behaviour, deciding that it was better when she didn't talk. His gaze returned to contents that the mug held. Just as he raised the cup to his lips, a faint scent of a bitter, almond-like odour filled his senses. Neji's eyes instantly narrowed in realisation and he set the cup back onto the tray.

"So _this_ was your plan all along," he said coldly, faint anger lacing his words.

He glanced over at her when she didn't reply. It was quite odd, seeing that she was usually talkative and optimistic towards his words, no matter how cruel and ruthless his remarks were. He knew she heard him, so why wasn't she saying anything?

His eyes flashed dangerously. "Don't act so innocent," he seethed, "it disgusts me."

She inhaled sharply.

He abruptly jerked from her gentle touch, pushing her away as well as causing the mug in his hands to fall. It instantly crashed to the floor and shattered into pieces with a deafening shriek.

His pale eyes followed her as she wordlessly crouched down to her knees to pick each scattered piece up without hesitation. She was strangely quiet—she made no move to respond. Without another word she swerved around and headed for the exit.

"You are trying to kill me," he called out, making Tenten's movements finally come to a stop. His pools of ivory practically glowed with rage and hatred blazed in his eyes. "I had never thought that you would do something as low as this. I thought I finally saw some decency in you, but… I was clearly wrong. It seems that your true intentions hinder everything else. You're despicable."

His gaze remained focused on her back, eyes darting back and forth expertly to search for any signs of denial. And to his surprise, there were none.

"The medicine. It's poisoned with hydrogen cyanide, is it not?" Neji muttered crossly as his grip on his bed sheets tightened. His eyes hardened. "You thought I wouldn't notice, didn't you?"

Tenten finally spun around. "What are you _talking_ about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about."

"Are you serious? You think I tried to kill you?" She stared at him in complete, utter disbelief. "You're kidding me."

She nearly choked when she saw that there was nothing but seriousness in his eyes. Was this a plan? Was this all a plan that he and Mikya and the rest of the clan cooked up to get rid of her? She looked at Neji, who stayed completely motionless in his bed. This was all a _joke_ to him, wasn't it?

"I honestly don't believe it," she exclaimed, incredulous. "You're just going to blame everything on me just because you_ think_ that I would do such a thing?"

"I don't think, I _know_," Neji heartlessly countered. "Nothing like this has ever happened to me previously, and Sato was always outside my door or in her room. _You're_ the only one left. Is that not enough evidence?"

"Neji, anybody could have poisoned the pot where I made medicine!"

"Evidently, you made it."

"So? I was watching the entire time, but then I left the pot unattended when I went to you! Anyone could have inserted something then! And I only used the remaining stuff because your—your _fiancée_ pushed me down! You heard it—I know you did! Neji, I swear I didn't—!" Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Why won't you believe me?"

Neji felt a touch of shame looking in her eyes but he was unsure as to why. He didn't know why he felt strange accusing her and trying to chase her away. He didn't know why he wanted to trust her. He—

_Weak._

The word suddenly echoed in his mind, and then all his years of training to become strong and independent suddenly asserted themselves. His eyes suddenly turned stony. "There is no reason to believe you. Why Hiashi-sama tolerates you like he does is beyond me," he seethed through gritted teeth.

"Neji, you don't know me very well, and I'm sure you're not that fond of me. But I never imagined that you would think so lowly of me. What have I ever done to you?"

"Why wouldn't I think lowly of you? You are a disappointment, a failure—nothing more than a pathetic wench who has to beg others for money."

Tenten stiffened. Why was everyone putting her down like this? She didn't deserve this—

"The truth hurts, doesn't it?" Neji continued bitterly. "You need to realise that your efforts are pointless—this job is pointless. Just like the search of yours for that boy. Are you delusional? Do you really think that he would remember?"

"What you're saying… it's not true." Her voice was barely audible. "I-I just didn't find him yet, but that d-doesn't mean—"

"Open your eyes," Neji exclaimed scornfully, his eyes sinister. "Misery is reality… You cannot defy fate. It has been predetermined before you took your first breath, and it will _not _change." Bitterness made its way towards his pale features and his voice hardened. "So forget about that boy… forget about your dreams."

The moment the words left his lips, Neji instantly regretted it.

The atmosphere went completely cold. He heard her breathing hitch and her clenched fists began shaking with emotion. She showed no intention of retorting back anymore, not even to defend her dreams now; she simply stood there, Neji unable to see the expression she had even though it was apparent that she had broken down to tears.

"Crying, are you?" he asked harshly, smirking. "Are you crying from what I've said? I always knew you were slow. Maybe something finally went through that fantasy-filled head of yours, you pathetic—"

"_Shut up_!" Tenten shouted, her voice wrought with emotion. She hated this. She hated living here, and all of the Hyuuga clan, her job—she hated acting cheerful when she was actually dying inside. It hurt her more than anything to endure this every day. To feel useless, unwanted, disliked _all_ the time, with no escape from this all—

"Just _stop it_!" she cried, unbridled anger withering her voice. "I can't take this anymore! I just can't! I've done nothing wrong to you or your clan, yet I'm always being treated like dirt! Around the streets people point fingers at me, I can't find my parents nor become stronger because I'm always taking care of _you_! But _you_ never care, because you're the most ignorant, obnoxious cold-hearted jerk I've ever met! Have you ever wondered why I can never do this job right? Hanabi always pulls pranks on me, Mikya hates my guts, you want me gone yet Hiashi is _still _depending on me!"

She was breathing hard and her eyes were filled with angry pent-up tears. "Is this what you wanted?" she finally asked, her voice deathly quiet. "Isn't this what you always wanted? To drive me out of Konoha? To make me miserable?"

She laughed through her tears and started clapping. "Well, guess what, Hyuuga Neji? You succeeded! Congratulations!"

Every word dripped with bitterness and without waiting for his response, she left his room, slamming the door shut. She then broke into a brisk run, not caring the slightest bit of the objects she might collide into. She did not hesitate to whiz past confused maids, causing them to drop the objects they were previously holding. She ran.

Neji was right, Tenten thought, smiling bitterly. He was right all along.

She now knew that her coming here in hopes of changing him was all a mistake. Although she tried hard, there was no way that he would change for her—not after years and years of training and a life of hardship. To him, she knew that she was nothing but a nuisance. And she couldn't blame him; she had done nothing but hurt him and the injury prevented him from training. She should have gone home the first time Neji told her to leave. But now she knew better.

She finally gave in to the urges of going back home...

She finally gave up.

-

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-

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**A/N:** Eh heh, the (not-so-great) Chigiri has finally updated! Err, what to think of this chapter? There's actually another version I wrote earlier, but waaay too dramatic, (like my editor said). But good news - after the next few chapters, we shall finally see a change in the icecube! Yay for that :) . Also another yay for reviewers! Thanks a lot! People who support this story (by reading too) are all too awesome, really.

I would like to hear all comments, please! (Whether they're good or bad.)

Much love,  
_Chigiri Sasaki_


	9. Chapter Nine: Giving In

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything of Naruto.

**Destined to Love  
**_By: Chigiri Sasaki _

Summary: He was a prodigy, with a damaged past and no future. She was a commoner, with a hidden secret. Strung together by fate, it was only a matter of time before she changed his life forever. AU, NejiTen

**Chapter Nine**

_Commoner… Pathetic… Loser… Failure… You do not belong here. You do not belong here._

Tenten ran. But as fast as she flew, she simply couldn't outrun those words.

_You do not belong here._

She ran aimlessly, running desperately through the busy streets of Konoha. She tore past all the people who were thoughtful enough to stop walking to offer her help, dashing by the rather loud stands that filled the path up ahead. The village was unusually noisy during this particular night. She was somewhat surprised to see the city glowing with thousands of torches and lanterns. She immediately realised that tonight was the first night of the cherry blossom festival, yet she wasn't here to celebrate the merry event. She didn't even smile back the happy people who had the heart to wave to her when she passed by, or even spare a glance at the flowers that have opened their pink petals up to the vast sky. Tenten usually loved the soft and light colours, but she didn't have eyes for their beauty today. Not right now.

Thoughts of confusion swirled through her mind. She felt partly ashamed and irresponsible for just running away like that, without informing Hiashi or anyone, but she had felt too angry to do anything then. She was frustrated by the way she was constantly treated, and she was angered by the fact that Neji accused her of doing something she didn't do. The cold attitude she had to put up with each day was something she had gotten used to over time, but he had insulted her afterwards, using certain words that she couldn't simply brush off.

_How could he say that? _

But as harsh as they were, Tenten knew that every word he said was true. She was pitiful and had done nothing but prevent Neji from training. And on top of that, it was apparent that she irritated him endlessly each day, constantly speaking of the things that he didn't want to hear about.

Why _did_ she tell him about her past, anyway? What had caused her to share her heart's most valuable memory to him? The closest thing she had to a friend in the Hyuuga household was Hinata, but even the Hyuuga heiress was oblivious to the pain Tenten constantly suffered. Yet, what was it about Neji that made her feel comfortable enough to reveal her past? Tenten didn't know. She also didn't know why his future marriage with Mikya suddenly mattered so much to her.

But she supposed grabbing her bags and running away was a benefit for everybody. She escaped with the money she needed and she wouldn't have to suffer any disapproving glances anymore. Neji would be returned back to his normal life and Mikya, well, she would get what she had always wanted all to herself: Neji.

_You will never find him… The truth hurts… You do not belong here. You do not belong here._

Those hurtful words resonated in her ears endlessly, ringing cruelly, tauntingly. She wanted to block it out, but she knew she couldn't, because it was true. Every single word of it was true. And she wouldn't deny it.

She shut her eyes tightly and shook her head fervently in an attempt to clear her mind. Why? Why had she been so foolish and stupid? What had led her into believing that Neji was the one she had been searching for all this time? For all this time she had been oblivious to that, but Neji had helped her open her eyes. He had snapped her from her own world, where time was frozen in one single frame, where reality was just a mere illusion that was faded and eventually forgotten.

It was evident that she would never find her parents or the boy again, but she had kept on avoiding the truth because it hurt. It hurt her to know that she was completely alone in the world.

* * *

  
The deep rumbling of thunder made Neji frown as he remained seated on his bed. Nights like these would usually leave him up during the night and think about his unwanted memories, leaving him feeling very unsettled. He wanted to push them away, as it would be useless to dwell over something that had happened in the past. However, no matter how hard he tried, the images of his father's dead corpse would never leave him. They would remain imprinted clearly in his mind and was going to be in the back of his head forever.

But for the first time, the memories of his father were pushed away, and instead, he saw a pair of hazel eyes that belonged to none other than Tenten staring at him in horror, more jewel-like than ever. He saw the way she had bolted out his door and ran to her room to pack her bags, and he recalled the way she had simply walked out of his life.

Beside him remained the medicine that Tenten brought in earlier that night, the shards of the mug gathered in a pile not too far away from the puddle of liquid. Neji considered calling a maid in to take care of everything, but after a moment of looking at the mess he decided to clean it up himself, knowing that he wouldn't be able to sleep anyway.

The Hyuuga prodigy left his covers and made his way towards the exit. He had only intended to retrieve a towel to wipe up the mess, but when he stepped out of his room his head had somehow raised upwards to gaze into the room across of his. He could almost smell that light fruity aroma Tenten had always emitted from where he was standing.

Neji, slightly perturbed, averted his gaze and headed towards the kitchen. She was gone now, he told himself. She ran away because she was too afraid to own up to her faults. There was no reason to be bothered by her arrival or her departure.

None of her belongings remained now, and there was a grim silence that presided over the room that just hours ago had been full of life. Like a butterfly alighting on a leave, no traces of impact were left behind to suggest that she was actually there in the first place. He only managed to catch a single glimpse of her horrified brown eyes, and before he could get a sense of reality, she was already gone; vanished without a trace.

But, he told himself once more, it was fate.

_Fate._

That word kept turning up during his life. It haunted him, yet he still believed in it, because he was a caged bird. His future was forever within the grasp of members from the main household. He, though still being bitter when it was brought up, accepted this as his destiny long ago, and decided that he would train to become stronger and be acknowledged instead of constantly mourning over Hizashi's death. That was his goal ever since he saw his father die, and because he believed that that was his fate, he never expected anything more in his life.

With this thought he lived life in solitude because to him, depending on no one but himself meant freedom and strength. It meant that that he wasn't weak and he believed that it would make his father proud.

However, this was all taken away when Tenten arrived. This was the reason as to why he felt such strong and bitter hatred towards his tutor; he actually never loathed her as an individual. Nevertheless, he had pushed her away, and he imagined himself to be satisfied once Tenten left. However, now that she did, he didn't know why he wasn't feeling the usual sensation of accomplishment after achieving something. He couldn't exactly describe this feeling, as he had never felt it before, but somehow, it felt like he lost someone important…

It felt like he lost hope.

* * *

Mikya, or rather, Suzuki Akira, was gazing upon the ceiling from her bed, thinking about her next step to her "engagement" with Neji. Neji and the clan's gullibility, strength and knowledge were all factors worth considering, but she knew that it would be fairly easy to win over the prodigy's heart since Tenten had just left.

But she couldn't believe how effortless it was to carry out her plan. She had expected Tenten or at least the Hyuugas to realise that she was nothing more than a fake, but surprisingly, there weren't any interferences during her mission. She was not in Neji's room to witness the scene, but Akira could easily tell that her plan had worked by the way Tenten flew out of his room.

Akira silently got out of bed as she reflected back on what had happened. Being the Raikage's favourite student and ninja, Akira had everything planned out in advance. Right after she saw Tenten bringing an empty cup out of Neji's room she immediately questioned Hiashi about it, and fortunately, he told her everything she needed to know without suspecting a thing. And idea to get rid of the commoner formulated in her mind right then.

After watching Tenten head out of the kitchen with a tray in her hands, Akira sent a clone to insert the poison in the pot while she made sure that the mug in Tenten's hands fell. The brown-haired kunoichi would then naturally think of using the extra medicine that was left in the pot. However, the liquid would have already been poisoned by then. And once Neji noticed that his drink was spiked, Akira knew that there would be little chance of her being suspected. After all, 'Mikya' was not a kunoichi, but a lord's daughter. Akira smirked slightly at how simple, yet effective her plan was.

But she knew she had other things to take care of now. Moving quietly like a true ninja, Akira crept out of her room without a single sound and made her way to Tenten's. Since Tenten was undoubtedly a kunoichi, there was a good chance that she was from another country, seeking for the secret of the Byakugan. Perhaps there was a journal or a scroll—or something in her room that Akira would be able to make some use of later on.

She held her breath and paused when she stopped in front of Tenten's room. Although she was positive she had barely made a sound, there was always the possibility that a Hyuuga was spying on her right now with their bloodline limit. The Raikage had once told her that if a Hyuuga were to ever sense a presence, they would be able to use their Byakugan from a hidden place without anyone knowing, thus gaining the upper hand if they were to plan an assault upon the intruder. She was told to be careful at all times.

After seeing that no one came out, Akira assumed that the Hyuugas didn't sense her presence, and confidently, she started to move again. As she was soundlessly sliding the door open, she—

"Just _what_ are you doing?"

Akira swerved around. Upon instinct she jumped away to create some distance, and, after landing gracefully, fingered the weapon she had hidden in her kimono. Although it took her a moment, recognition quickly dawned on her and she knew who the tall figure was. She instantly recomposed herself and forced her lips into a grin, inwardly hoping that the Hyuuga in front of her didn't notice the way she had just reacted.

"Hi Neji-kun!" she pleasantly greeted as if she was absolutely delighted to see him, bowing politely and smiling innocently. "What brings you out here this late at night?"

Akira's childlike yet feminine smile never faltered as she gazed into Neji's hard ivory eyes. She mentally cursed when he narrowed his eyes.

"I could ask you the same question."

"You see…" Akira started off unsurely, quickly racking through her mind for a believable lie. A look of sheepishness then gusted across her well-defined features. "I couldn't sleep very well even though the beds are very comfy, so I went over to Tenten's room to see if she was awake." She pointed towards Tenten's room, where the door was left ajar. "I wanted to talk to her, you know, since she's a guest too, and—"

"Don't bother. She's gone."

Akira, even though she wasn't the slightest bit surprised, gasped. "Wha—you cannot be serious! But why?"

"That is none of your business, Sato," Neji intoned impassively and stepped aside, but to his great dismay Mikya held him by the shoulders.

"Yes it is!" Mikya insisted stubbornly. Her eyes softened as she looked into his moonlight ones. "You can tell me, Neji. You can tell me anything."

"Wench. You are pathetic."

He slapped her arms off him and walked past her without another word. Yet he had not done so without catching a glimpse of the sadness that made its way to her pretty features. Mikya looked sincerely hurt, much to his discomfort. He felt a touch of shame and was about to say something when she spoke up first.

"Neji," she said softly. "Why are you so cold to me? Did I ever do anything to you?"

Neji remained poker-faced and continued walking.

"Neji, please don't go," Akira pleaded, close to tears. "I didn't get any say in this marriage either, so _please_, I beg of you, _stop_ treating me like one of those silly girls who worship you!"

Akira quickly wiped away the tears that threatened to fall and inhaled shakily. "I'll tell you one thing though, Neji Hyuuga. _Never_ in my life have I been ignored like this… but I'm still trying to make the best out of this, Neji… I honestly am. Ever since I stepped foot into the Hyuuga compound, I've been nice to everybody in here, even though I miss my family dearly and it breaks my heart to not see them. Why can't you see that, Neji? Why can't you accept me for once? I'm trying _so_ hard…"

Mikya's dark eyes averted away sadly before looking hopefully at the back of his head. The last part came out quieter than ever. "Can you give me one chance?"

Neji turned around and fixed his gaze upon her, eyes darting back and forth to search for any signs of insincerity. He didn't trust her. The last time he trusted a girl, she ended up poisoning him, and he wasn't ready to see how cruel the world outside the clan really was.

But his pools of ivory widened for the briefest moment when he suddenly saw that Mikya wasn't as invulnerable as she appeared to be; much like Tenten, she was someone who was lost and completely alone in Konoha, in need of comfort and safety. Perturbed by this resemblance, Neji involuntarily looked away, and his reply came out as a distant but clear answer.

"Fine."

With that one word lingering in the air, Akira was only left to gape after him when he didn't wait for her reaction and disappeared into his room, his long hair snapping behind him. He had walked away so quickly and wordlessly; Akira found it surprisingly difficult to believe that he just agreed to the engagement. Reality began to sink in and the corners of her mouth lifted slightly.

She knew that there was only one more thing to do now that Neji had accepted her. The words of her father rung clearly in her head, and Akira knew better than to disappoint the Raikage, for the consequences were close to death.

Akira suddenly heard scurrying footsteps reverberate from the hallway. She immediately turned to the source of noise, and found a trio of servants passing by. Normally she would simply return to whatever she was doing, but she couldn't help but look again when one of them suddenly stopped and bent down to pick up something shiny. Out of curiosity, she peered closer.

"It's a necklace," she heard the servant murmur softly to her coworkers. "Tenten, it says…"

Akira narrowed her eyes upon hearing those words, as it seemed to trigger some kind of memory. _Why does it sound so familiar?_ Without wasting another second she got to her feet and approached them with a smile. "Hi there," she called out to the maids. "May I see that?"

The servant that was holding the piece of jewellery was sightly hesitant. "Um, miss Sato… this has 'Tenten' on it, so I'm not sure if you should t-take it…" The poor servant's eyes were wide with horror, most likely fearing that 'Mikya' would report her to the venerable Hiashi.

"Oh," Akira replied with a reassuring smile, "I'll just give it to Tenten then, she's just in the room across from mine, so I'll drop it off when I go to bed." Akira gestured towards Tenten's room, and then stuck out her hand, looking at the cleaning lady expectantly.

It took a moment, but the maid eventually placed the necklace on her palm without another word. Akira smiled satisfyingly. "Thank you. Now, run along," she ordered in a ladylike manner, dismissing them with a wave.l

After the seventeen year old saw them disappear into the corner, her attention was quickly averted back to the necklace. The thin delicate chain was broken, which explained why the necklace was lying on the floor, but that wasn't what drew her attention the most. It was the fact that it perfectly fit the description that the Raikage had once mentioned to her. It was indeed a simple necklace, and the chain suspended a silver encrusted plate that had 'Tenten' engraved smoothly onto it.

Akira lifted a dark eyebrow. It was really _her_? When she first came across Tenten, she knew that there was something familiar about her plain set of brown eyes and hair. At that moment she had shaken it off, thinking that there was no chance of this Tenten being the girl she knew, but it seemed that there were plenty of surprises in life.

A series of footsteps were heard and Akira immediately knew that the guards were patrolling the area right now. Her long slender fingers curled around the necklace as she quickly stood back up to retreat back into her room, not wanting to spend her next ten minutes explaining to the Hyuugas why she was not in her room sleeping. Carefully slipping Tenten's precious belonging into a hidden pocket in her clothing, one simple thought crossed her mind. Her ruby lips quirked into a little smirk.

_We finally found you…_

* * *

Yamanaka Ino, daughter of the Yamanaka flower shop's owner, saw her last customer out the door and, before flipping the Open sign to Closed, began to do the close. It was almost eleven o'clock and she was completely exhausted, but she had promised both her parents that she'd take care of the shop while they were away on their honeymoon.

Outside the clear windows, she could clearly see the entire village lit up by the colourful lanterns and the faces of the citizens that passed by aglow with happiness. She groaned. More than anything she wanted to go outside and celebrate the merry event with her friends, but she made a promise to her parents. And a promise was a promise.

At first Ino did her best to ignore the figure that sat in front of the main window. There was a throbbing ache at her temples and her legs were tired from standing all day long, so she hoped that whoever was out there would have a change of thought and walk away, because the last thing she wanted to do was deal with a customer right now. She had even considered going to the door and turning over the Open sign, but if her parents ever found out about her preventing people from buying their flowers, then of course she'd never hear the end of it. So the blonde quickly tallied up the cash, placed the money in an envelope and waited.

A moment passed and the person didn't enter. Exasperated, Ino took off her frock, went to the door and opened it wide and stood there, looking at the stranger. Finally, in the light, she saw who it really was.

"Tenten?"

* * *

  
Far away from the merry cherry blossom festival, the Hyuugas sat in complete silence at their meeting. They were positioned around a dimly lit candle, each member of the clan on their knees and hands on their laps, each of their faces being grim and solemn. Heavy tension lingered in the air.

Hiashi, as the Hyuuga leader, sat on the side perpendicular to the elders'. Despite the apparent weariness in his wrinkly features, his face was stern when he spoke up. "My nephew will not be forced to marry anyone," he announced clearly. "I simply will not allow it."

"And why not?"

Hiashi frowned and cast the oldest elder a disbelieving glance upon hearing those words. "Hideki…"

The elder straightened his back and cleared his throat. Being known as the wisest and oldest Hyuuga elder, Hideki knew that he had enough clout to persuade the other elders to help overturn a decision made by the leader. "Twelve years ago, you refused as well but the decision that was made saved your very life. Do not forget that Hizashi's death is the reason why you are living today."

"I don't want to make a mistake again," Hiashi countered quietly, trepidation beginning to embed itself into his voice. "By forcing Neji to marry to Mikya, I will once again be taking the happiness Neji truly deserves. I don't want to do that. I… can't."

"Neji's happiness has nothing to do with the Hyuuga clan," Hideki stated sharply. "And he wouldn't be the person he is now if you gave him the scroll that Hizashi left behind."

"Yes… but…"

"Hiashi-sama, the past is the past," Hyuuga Hitoshi pointed out, not allowing Hiashi to protest any further. "Hizashi himself opted for his early death; you know that very well."

"And," the elder quickly added when he saw that Hiashi was about to say something, "it stopped a war from breaking out. One that could have lead us to our deaths, too, since the land of lightning is just as strong as Konoha. If Hizashi hadn't sacrificed his life then we could have all died."

"Hitoshi is right," Hideki agreed as he nodded solemnly. "Which brings us Elders to our point. If the country lord's daughter had a child with a Hyuuga, who is, in this case, Neji, then we will automatically have an alliance with them. A treaty with the Bird country can serve as a protection for our clan."

Hiashi's calm expression that hid his irritation suddenly crumbled and he stood up. "So in the end, no matter how important something is to someone, the clan and its safety always comes first," he stated sceptically, both bitterness and anger lacing his words. "The alliance with the Bird country is not mandatory, nor is it important. We cannot rely on any country. We have been betrayed by our allies before. What makes you think that the Bird country will be any different?"

"The Bird country has many—" Hitoshi stopped and narrowed his eyes. "Why are you against this marriage?"

His gaze never wavered when he awaited for his answer. Hyuugas were not psychics but they all knew that one particular person crossed each of of their minds. The Elders were almost positive that this girl was the reason to Hiashi's unusual hesitation.

"It's that commoner, isn't it?"

Hiashi raised his head upon hearing those words, looking at Hideki with scepticism. His body subconsciously tensed. "Her name is Tenten."

"But it _is_ her, isn't it?" Hideki inquired, repeating his words. His gaze on the leader hardened as he quickly drew out the conclusion. "Being the person who invited that disgusting commoner to our place, you believed that she would be able to change Neji. You thought that you would be able to fool him by approaching in a different way; you assumed that he'd be oblivious to your scheme, and will gradually develop a friendship with her. And then when the time comes, he'd choose her over the candidates we choose simply because he is acquainted with the commoner. Am I not correct, Hiashi?"

Said person kept quiet.

"Hiashi-sama, please listen to us. We chose Mikya for a reason," Hisoka intoned quietly, hoping to ease the tension in the air. Everybody's attention switched to the young man who had not said anything during the meeting until now. "She comes from a respectable and rich family, and the country lord said that his daughter is the perfect candidate to be the Hyuuga prodigy's wife. She's beautiful, smart, helpful and kind. Those characteristics will surely affect Neji in some way."

Then his pale eyes softened slightly with sympathy for Tenten. He never held a grudge against the poor girl, but he wasn't exactly sure that her intentions were pure either. "Tenten," he continued, "on the other hand, is different. Perhaps she _is_ a good person, but she has no parents, no clan, no background… for all we know, she could be from the land of lightning coming back to figure out our secret. She could be acting forlorn and dejected just to gain our trust, Hiashi-sama. There is no way to know what she is planning at this moment." He looked away from Hiashi to receive approving nods from the rest of the elders.

"You cannot defend her," Hitoshi said sternly, looking almost incredulous. "Hisoka has a point. Has she ever told you who her parents were? Where she came from?"

"No, but…" Hiashi trailed off, his eyes looking distant. Despite the fact that the Elders had a point, he had a lot of faith in Tenten. He knew she had nothing but good intentions, and she was able to change his cold-hearted nephew. He could already see the changes in his nephew's attitude just a few days after her arrival. He needed to defend her; he had to keep her in the Hyuuga compound—he had to.

"Are you certain that she isn't an enemy?"

"This isn't a meeting discussing Tenten and her background," Hiashi said. "It's about Neji's future, and I can assure you that he will never agree to the marriage with Mikya. We cannot arrange anything without his consent."

"Even though he may not love her, Hyuuga Neji will eventually agree," Hideki assured the clan head. His voice was grave. "You know what we can do to that boy if he doesn't."

Hiashi narrowed his eyes. "You don't dare."

"We never intended to, but if we must, then we will," Hideki replied simply, proving his determination to keep the clan intact. "Now you, as the clan head, must arrange everything. Send the contract to the Bird country for their lord's approval tomorrow morning. We shall receive the response within three days."

Hearing that, Hiashi's gaze immediately dropped to his hands, looking at the scroll that would most likely seal his nephew's fate. He knew that once he gained consent from the Bird country's lord then he would once again be taking Neji's happiness away from him. Every part of his conscience went against that, but the elders didn't seem to be bothered by that, as they had gone through this process quite a few times before. They left the clan head with no other choice. He had to let the marriage carry on or else his nephew's life would be on the line. His closed his eyes and sighed. He couldn't believe he was going to give in.

"Very well," he finally said, his back straightening. His next words of endorsement were loud and clear. "I, Hyuuga Hiashi, approve of Hyuuga Neji's engagement to Sato Mikya."

-

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**A/N: **Omg, it's been suuuuch a long time since I've updated! But honestly, school has been terrible, with all of its homework and projects and exams. Then when I actually _did _have free time my friends would ask me to go shopping or to the movies with them. And I, who cannot resist places that actually has lotsa _life_ (unlike in my house), just went with them.

But I'm grounded now :( . Apparently, spending the money I got for my birthday was a _crime_, and staying out until _six_ o'clock is waaaaay too late when you're with _six_ friends, two of them being guys that are almost _six_ feet tall. I'm not gonna argue with my mom though… so I guess I'm gonna just stay home writing and doing my homework :) .

Big props to my beta Philyra. She's awesome!

You people are awesome:D Your reviews make me smile, and hopefully, the story will end up being somewhat decent to make up for all the… "wonderfulness" you ppl have. 'Cause believe me, the story ain't finished yet. This is just the first "arc", and it's really boring 'cause I'm just setting everything until I get to the point. Hope you guys will continue reading :) . Please tell me what you think!

Peace out!

Chigiri Sasaki  
-xoxo-


	10. Chapter Ten: Memories

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything of Naruto.

**Destined to Love  
**_By: Chigiri Sasaki _

Summary: He was a prodigy, with a damaged past and no future. She was a commoner, with a hidden secret. Strung together by fate, it was only a matter of time before she changed his life forever. AU, NejiTen

**Chapter Ten**

Tenten sat idly by the cushioned windowsill of the now closed flower shop, leaning backwards until her back touched the hardness of the concrete wall. With her head propped on her elbow she gazed out to the distant horizon, where shades of blue and orange and yellow surrounded the setting sun.

The air was cool and crisp. It darted through the open window, seeping through the thin white material that she was wearing. The ruthless, freezing touch made Tenten inhale sharply, but she didn't move from her current position.

It has been one week, she thought lackadaisically with half lidded eyes.

It was true; it had been exactly seven days since she had run away from the Hyuuga compound and ended up in front of the Yamanaka flower shop. There Ino kindly offered her lodging and Tenten, who was exhausted and miserable at that moment, jumped at the chance. Yet what Tenten thought to be a quiet night turned out to be rather loud; Ino invited Sakura and some other village girls over for a slumber party. Seeing this, Tenten planned to stay at Ino's place for only a night, knowing that she wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully with endless conversations, but after seeing how understanding and open these girls were, she couldn't bring herself to leave.

But at least it was quiet for the past two days, since Ino and Sakura and everybody else have been working consistently at either their families' shops or the Konoha hospital. Lately there haven't been enough nurses and doctors to take care of the patients, who seemed to have come in abundance due to the epidemic going around. Since Ino's parents were still off on their honeymoon, and Ino was still working at the hospital, Tenten promised to take care of the flower shop by herself for the next few days.

Her soft sigh resonated in the air. She didn't realise how quickly the days passed until now, where she actually took the time to sit down and contemplate. Even though for the past few days she was relatively happy, she knew she still had to face her problems. What about money, and her parents? What about her future? Those were the questions that remained unanswered for all these years.

The sun was slowly dipping into the horizon, painting the sky with the most magnificent shades of yellow and orange. Its golden rays, despite the cold, provided her warmth—it blessed her with peaceful solitude she had always wanted. All the residential houses and buildings were bathed in the ethereal lights, their dark shadows haloed by glowing radiance.

Tenten stared and stared unblinkingly, her soft hazel eyes staring far out in the distance. The beautiful dusk of Konoha seemed so familiar, yet so foreign at the same time. She didn't remember when it was the last time she had seen something as beautiful as this.

"_It's a sunset, little one," said a soft voice. "It rises every morning and sets every dusk, but it never becomes any less beautiful." __Her ever-present loving smile was in place and the lights cast a soft glow over her lovely features. Tenten looked up and smiled at the woman. Her mother was always one of beauty and grace. _

_Tenten was resting her head on the woman's lap. She felt her mother's fingers run through her silken auburn strands as she watched the sun disappear into the horizon. "It's so… so beautiful," Tenten whispered childishly, her stubby little fingers reaching out. "I want to bring it home, mommy!" _

The scenario disappeared as soon as it surfaced. It was the numbing coldness that brought her back to reality; her window was still open and she was suddenly aware of her senses and everything around her again.

_Mom._

Alarm flashed in the depths of hazel, but before Tenten could replay the scene her mind just recalled, she felt a sharp pain shooting up from her neck and fell unconscious.

* * *

As Akira looked into the mirror the very next morning, she noticed that she had bags under her eyes. She didn't slept well last night. Maybe it had something to do with the anxiety that began building at the pit of her stomach after Hiashi told her that he sent a marriage contract to Bird country.

Part of her went into slight shock after hearing the news, for she had not expected that they would such a thing on the first day after she arrived. Furthermore, she didn't know that Hiashi was allowed to do something like this without Neji's consent, which she was sure that he didn't give yet, even though he did give her a chance and didn't completely shut her out of his life. In fact, considering that it was _Neji_, he was a lot less cold than she would have ever expected him to be. Although he had never actually said something nice, he had never disagreed when she asked him to accompany her to trips, or flinched when she mentioned that they were an engaged couple to random townspeople.

But after the day Hiashi delivered the news, Akira began secretly plotting. However, after a few days of planning, Akira eventually realised that she was left with one option, and that was to prevent the Hyuuga clan from receiving any messages from Bird country.

So each morning, Akira had to wake up before anybody else, including Neji, and wait for any signs of a messenger bird from Bird country. She had to kill it before it reached Hiashi or the elders or even any other members of the clan. Often she would have to go out with Neji when he left the compound for his training sessions to keep a better eye out for the messenger, which earned strange looks from the rest of the clan. Akira knew that it was risky, but she didn't have any other choice, did she? She would rather have them be suspicious of her than have her cover blown right away. Besides, she could be wrong about them having doubts.

But Akira had more reasons to believe that the clan had second thoughts about her. In addition to Neji catching her sneaking around a week ago, both Hinata and Hiashi had briefly glanced at her when Neji gave the explanation as to why Tenten left. Hinata had actually asked her if she knew anything about Tenten's departure afterwards when they were both heading back to their rooms.

However, there was no time to dwell on the events that had already happened; Akira expelled her breath and inhaled deeply.

Today was the day. Today was the day where she would carry out her plan. It had to work—it simply had to. Otherwise, Akira wouldn't know any other strategy to escape safely with the clan's secret. Her plan had to take place early in the morning, and the location had to be a considerable distance away from the Hyuuga compound. Akira looked into the horizon; the sun had not risen yet. Judging by the time, Neji should be awake by now.

Then, as if on cue, the sound of a door gliding open reverberated in the still air, cutting the silence in the dark endless hallways in half. Upon hearing this Akira got up, brushed her clothes in a ladylike manner and forced a smile on her face.

It was time.

She slid the wooden door open, the familiar whisper resounding in the corridor once more. The fact that Neji did not look back did not bother her in the slightest bit; she caught up with him, and stepped in front the prodigy to prevent him from going any further. His slight scowl did not go by unnoticed.

"Good morning Neji-kun!" she mouthed, trying not to disturb the others. A wide smile made its way to her rosy lips as she held his rather cold, rough hand and began taking a few steps forward, their fingers interlocked.

Neji, in response, reluctantly but eventually accepted the physical contact and walked with his fiancée.

The rest of their walk to their destination they remained silent. It was rather a long, tense silence that anyone such as Hanabi wouldn't be able to stand, but the seventeen year old didn't mind the silence, and judging by the blank look he had on when she peeked at him through corners of her eyes, neither did Neji. His pale ivory eyes were as impassive as ever as he stared up ahead, a frown still gracing his lips.

Akira didn't know how to change him. Day after day did she make an effort to make him more loving and caring, but every time she tried her conscience would pull her back, scolding her, telling her that she shouldn't be helping someone she was going to kill.

_Kill him… Kill Hyuuga Neji. _

The words that came from her father's mouth echoed in her mind, and for the first time doubt flickered in her eyes. Did she really want to kill him? She didn't have anything against this Hyuuga, despite his pessimistic and bitter view of life. He was simply born to a clan where she was sent to discover and exploit the secret they had been keeping for all these years.

Akira's movements came to a stop when they reached the kitchen. "You go to the bathroom to get ready," she told Neji sweetly, "and I'll make you a drink, okay?"

Neji nodded and made his way towards the bathroom through a dimly lit hallway, not turning back to look at her. For the first two times he had been spying on her to ensure that she would not try kill him or do anything of that sort; and she had proved to him that she did not have bad intentions. However, he still didn't trust her: the last person he had put a small amount of faith in turned out to be nothing but a filthy liar.

When Neji was finally out of sight, Akira turned back to the kitchen with determination blazing in her dark fathomless eyes. The seventeen year old estimated she had a good fifteen minutes before Neji returned. Taking out certain herbs from glass containers, Akira performed the routine she did every morning to brew the special tea for the Hyuuga prodigy, but with a faster pace, as she had to do something different today.

She had to poison him.

Today she had to poison him with a special powder made with a rare recipe passed down from her ancestors; it was an undetectable, powerful powder that when dissolved into a drink, it would make the drinker become completely paralysed and slip into an unconscious state after a period of time. So once Neji drank the tea, he would lose all consciousness and fall to the ground an hour later, and from there, her escape plan would commence.

Her train of thought broke when she heard a high-pitched whistle of the kettle. The water was done boiling. With her mind alert and focused, she removed the kettle from the stove and poured the scorching hot water into the mug where tea leaves laid scattered. Her eyes were lifeless and stony as she stared back at her reflection on the surface of the swirling water.

And then, almost as if she was in a trance, Akira fished out a folded paper from her pocket. She slowly unfolded it, and poured a thin stream of white powder into the cup before crumpling the paper and throwing it into the fireplace. Then she took a spoon from the cabinet and stirred the liquid until the powder had dissolved. She placed the steaming hot mug onto a tray, and with a bright smile, left the kitchen.

When she reached the dining room Neji was already there, sitting in his usual assigned spot in the long rectangular table. His eyes were closed and his arms were crossed; for a moment Akira thought Neji was actually taking a nap, but crossed that thought out when his eyes suddenly snapped open.

"Thank you," he said, stood up and took the tray off her hands.

He drank his beverage in silence, with Akira staring earnestly at his every move. Akira knew she had portrayed Mikya as a girly girl who loved to watch the prodigy for the past week, so she knew she had to keep her disguise and image intact in order for it to seem realistic; the image she'd cultivated also served as a means to make sure he drank all of the poison, so that she could observe him without it being considered strange.

She suddenly noticed that Neji did not move.

Akira caught her breath. Had she used too much? She knew that too much of this poison would completely obliterate one's mind, but she had put enough powder just to make the average person completely numb. However, the amount that she had put in was for the average person, and she did not know how strong Neji's immune system was, so there was a chance that he might not be completely affected.

"Mikya-san," Neji suddenly said, getting up, "I will be going now."

"Sure!" Akira replied happily, standing up as well. "Here—I'll clean up, and I'll see you outside, alright?"

"That is unnecessary."

"Yes, it is," insisted the kunoichi stubbornly. "I love to watch you train! Besides, after waking up so many times early in the morning, I'm used to it—even if I go back to bed now, I wouldn't be able to sleep."

Neji was hesitant but he eventually agreed and went out. Akira watched him go out with a bright smile (in case he was spying on her with his Byakugan), and returned the tray that Neji left on the table back to the kitchen. She put both objects in the sink, turned the tap on, and washed each item. However, instead of putting the mug away like the tray, she tossed it into the garbage; she had to get rid of all traces of evidence.

Her gaze lifted heavenwards and she looked out the window and into the distance, where she could see Neji talking to the two guards guarding the Hyuuga gates. She was rather annoyed with them for they had always insisted that they would escort her to her destination, claiming that it was unsafe for a lady such as herself to go out into the streets alone. Why were there guards, anyway? Each member of the Hyuuga clan, including young Hanabi, could defend themselves very well—there was no need for such protection. Furthermore, it made her mission more difficult than it already was; if she needed to escape quickly during the night then the guards would stop and interrogate her.

But it didn't matter anymore.

It didn't matter anymore, because today would be her last day staying at the Hyuuga's. It would be her last day acting as a character whose attitude was far more cheerful than hers, and dealing with Neji's cold attitude, and the clan's expectations of her. However, it wouldn't be her last time in Konoha, because she knew she had to return to get someone.

Akira dipped her cold hand into her pocket and gripped onto the silver necklace she found a week ago. Her eyes dulled.

_We will find you, Tenten…_

* * *

  
He was training early in the morning again.

Neji couldn't remember how long it had been since he had been out in the area training. Despite the fact that his injury healed a few days after his last battle, he was told to not do any activities in order to prevent his wound from opening again. As a result, he had to stay in with the knowledge that he was weak, and that he wouldn't be in this predicament if it weren't for _her_.

A few of the fallen auburn leaves that drifted so weightlessly in the air had landed on his shoulder. His pale eyes looked down at the brown leaves of late autumn, and noticed how wilted their edges were and the pattern of golden splashes that dappled upon the rough surfaces. Brushing them off, Neji suddenly expelled the breath that he unknowingly held moments ago, and then took a deep breath. The air no longer tasted cool and refreshing. It was becoming more dry and crisp—an indication that it was near the beginning of autumn.

When he was young, his father would make him wake up every morning to train no matter how cold it was. Neji could even remember the times when his teeth chattered, and when his nose was so runny that he had to wipe it every minute or so. Yet despite the fact that his pale ears and chubby cheeks were pink after each session, Neji enjoyed sparring with his father. It gave him a sense of honour because everyday, after the sun went down, Hizashi would praise Neji for his rare talent and potential.

Neji remembered this all too clearly, yet, at the same time, the memory seemed so blurry and distant. It was one of those happier moments in his life where he had thought that the world was beautiful and perfect, but he knew his judgement and his view of the world back then was too naïve and innocent. Back then he still hadn't seen the darker side of the world and all of its ugliness; he had been so oblivious to its flaws.

"Hakke Kūshō!"

A burst of chakra suddenly expelled itself from his palm as he thrust it towards an imaginary opponent. Neji quickly resumed his original position and decided to perform the attack until he had used it to its full potential.

Happiness was ephemeral; he knew that. It lasted only for a fleeting moment, disappearing as soon as it surfaced, while misery and bitterness seemed to be perpetual and pervasive. It lasted for what felt like an eternity, trapping one in a world of white and grey—trapping one into a cage, the key forever lost.

"Hakke Kūshō!"

Neji's facial expression didn't change when he saw the impact he had caused. Seeing that it wasn't satisfactory, he fell into another Hyuuga trigram stance again. He frowned slightly, wondering exactly why he couldn't concentrate today. Was it because of _her_?

Neji couldn't find justification as to why he couldn't erase her image from his mind. He had a fiancée now, and he would probably never see Tenten ever again, so there was no point in recalling the things she had done for him. Yet somehow, he still saw her face—her porcelain coloured visage that always glowed, and the hazel eyes that were always calm and serene despite the memories she bore.

The world was not perfect; he knew that. Yet why did the only escape—if he could even call it that—he had from reality have to be another betrayal?

"_Hakke Kūshō_!"

He gave one last yell, thrusting both his palms into one concentrated spot and sending out all of his remaining chakra. A deafening sound resonated in the reverberant air. Birds fled from their nests built in the nearby trees. The ground shook slightly from the impact. Neji, with his head hung low, was breathing heavily. Only after a moment did he look up, and when he did, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. Two rows of trees had collapsed.

"Wow…" a voice behind him breathed, and then a series of claps were heard. "Neji-kun, that was amazing!"

The Hyuuga prodigy turned around. He saw Mikya running up to him from her position on the ground, her dark eyes twinkling with joy and her cheeks pink from running. "Neji-kun!" she squealed. "You're fantastic!"

Neji acknowledged her presence with a polite inclination of his head. "Mikya-san."

"Oh my gosh, that was amazing!" Mikya gushed excitedly. "With that last attack — there was so much wind, and all of a sudden, so many trees fell down! You're so strong, Neji-kun!" Happiness made its way to her lovely features. "Father would be so glad to know that someone as strong and handsome as you are my fiancé!"

Neji remained deadpan, even at her mentioning of him being his fiancé. "This praise is unnecessary," he said, deactivating his Byakugan, a frown beginning to mar the straight line of his lips. "Go back."

Mikya pursed her lip before giving a pout. "Fine. Bye Neji-kun," she sulked childishly before stalking off.

When she was finally out of sight, Neji's eyes narrowed by a fraction. Why would she come here to see him everyday if she knew that she would be asked to leave? And it wasn't even like she was determined to stay like a certain brunette—it was likely that her watching him was only an excuse to come outdoors. Neji knew something was suspicious, but he, instead of reporting this to Hiashi, activated his Byakugan and fell into another trigram stance. He decided if there was anything to sort out then the clan would deal with—

Neji suddenly stopped.

He halted because he felt his vision distorting. Colours were blurring, contours melting into shapeless masses that vaguely resembled his surroundings of his training area. A numb feeling spread throughout the right side of his body, and he felt a strong urge to give in to the sleepiness that took over his mind.

Total darkness devoured him as Neji fell to the ground.

* * *

  
The satisfactory thump that came from Neji's training area was all Akira needed to hear before she took action. Her brown eyes darted back and forth expertly to scan the area around her to confirm that there was no one was there. She, seeing that she was indeed alone, approached Neji with footsteps no louder than a mouse's.

Akira was wearing all black now; she wasn't disguised as Mikya anymore—she had gotten rid of her masquerade. She was herself, her long brown hair tied in a high ponytail and a black handkerchief covering most of her face, showing only her pair of chocolate brown eyes. There was no use in maintaining that jutsu anymore, for anybody would easily recognise her if she were to be caught on her journey to the land of lightning since Mikya was a well-known person.

She lowered her hazel eyes to stare upon the young man sprawled on the ground. She knew very well that her plan was risky, that she could be easily caught, but it would be even riskier if she waited until the messenger bird delivered the news that the real Mikya was dead. For all she knew, the clan could have already found out about her scheme and was now waiting for the chance to confront her.

Besides, Neji was the only one outside early in the morning, and the Hyuugas lived relatively close to the borderline, so Akira could bring him out without any interference. It was dawn, therefore there weren't many people wandering about, and he currently wasn't near the Hyuuga compound, where the clan's strongest members resided and where many guards prowled.

Akira calculated the chance that she would have of escaping Konoha unnoticed, and frowned to see that there was only a fifty-fifty chance. Akira immediately considered going back to the Hyuuga compound and asking her father for backup, but decided against that thought as it was likely that the Hyuuga clan would ask what her letter was about before lending her their messenger bird.

Akira quickly pushed all her thoughts aside to prevent any further waste of time. This was the day, she told herself firmly. This, Akira had decided a few days ago, was the day where she would bring Neji to her father and the Hyuuga clan's secret would finally be revealed.

In seconds she had lifted him onto her back, hunching forward slightly so that even though his arms were simply dangling limply in the air, gravity would keep him in place. Akira leaped and then they were off, speeding through the streets from roof to roof, her arms hooked securely around his legs.

By the time she was near the forest up in the north-west that marked Konoha's borderline, Akira estimated that it was roughly seven o'clock. People were going to wake up soon, she noted. The Sound country, the piece of land that separated the hidden village of the cloud and Konoha, would have already various teams and guards scattered about to protect the place. Akira, realising this, was about to pick up her pace when a loud squawk was heard. She lifted her gaze heavenwards and…

There it was.

Up high in the sky was a marvellous bird, feathers coloured in a rich reddish orange and golden wings flapping hard as it soared in the sky. Yet regardless of its magnificence, Akira didn't give the bird a second glance, because attached to one of its claws was a parchment rolled neatly into a cylinder.

It was the message.

It was without doubt the messenger, because it was heading towards the direction where she had come from, and because the thick golden ribbon wrapped around the bird's claw had the distinctive _H _embroidered onto it. Anybody in the Fire country knew that the _H _stood for _Hyuuga._

Alarm flashed once in her hazel eyes and Akira stopped to turn around, staring after the bird as well as wondering if she should kill it. She considered the possible results. If the messenger bird reached the Hyuuga compound, then immediately her cover would be blown, and the rest of the Hyuugas would be looking after her. She _did_ need a few days to reach the land of lightning, and on the way she could easily be cornered. And as strong as she was, she wouldn't be able to fight off a four man team, especially with Neji on her back.

So killing the bird it was.

Akira roughly laid Neji in front of her on the rough surface of the ground, not exactly caring whether he would feel the soreness later on or not. Then, in one smooth movement, she fished out her scroll from her pouch and loosened the tie, opening the scroll to reveal black characters printed neatly on it. She was about to perform a sequence of hand signals when someone suddenly spoke.

"Your treachery ends here."

Akira's entire body instantly tensed upon hearing those words. Forgetting about her scroll and the messenger bird temporarily, she quickly spun around to the source of noise with a sword in her right hand and three shuriken in the other.

"Who goes there?" she yelled demandingly.

But she was only met by silence. Maybe whoever was out there decided to retreat…?

But it didn't matter now. She had to get out of here as quickly as possible; Akira knew she couldn't afford to waste any more time. Her attention was swiftly averted back to the body that was in front of her, for it was the most important thing she had to protect. But before she could even pick him up to escape, the sole person she had to bring to her father disappeared into nothing but a log of wood.

"Your plan failed," the same deep, male voice intoned from behind.

That voice was unmistakable; it didn't take another second for Akira to realise who her enemy was.

She almost instantaneously attempted to create some distance by leaping away, but she couldn't do so because Neji had already gotten a hold of her right arm.

She swerved around to meet his cold ivory eyes. His pools of white never changed from the first time she met him, but there was a flicker of a raw emotion that she had never seen before. Feeling a pang of discomfort she looked away.

Akira lowered her eyes, and noticed that his free arm appeared to be quite limp and his right leg struggled to stand properly. Realisation hit her and Akira relaxed a little, knowing that the numbing powder she had added into his drink was taking its toll on him. He couldn't fight even if he wanted to.

"You're not from Konoha, are you?" Neji inquired sharply, his grasp on her remaining as firm as ever.

Akira's expression was deadpan. "I don't know what you're saying."

Neji stepped up until their noses were almost touching. "You know exactly what I'm saying," he said coldly, his breath feeling ghostly on her cheek. His grip on her tightened. "You don't have to hide anymore… Akira."

-

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**A/N:** I just have to say this: I love snoooowwww!! It started to snow on November 20, and I'm luuuvvin it cause I have no school tomorrow! It snowed so much that I am free for one more day...Yay me! I lub snow, until my grandma tells me to shovel it. When I tell her that I don't feel like it, my grandma always sighs and says, "the youth is wasted on you! If I were in my day…" Lols… if you were in your day, grandma, that would be decades ago :) .

Okies. I think that there is some foreshadowing in this chapter. Yes, yes. Dropping a few hints here and there…

Errrrr…. I think I'm losing some readers xD . But I still can't make my story that much more interesting right now cuz I'm still setting up the plot, which, you authors must know, takes a pretty long time if you're gonna write something long. And me, being the lazy one, can't update to save my life so we really can't progress quickly. But hopefully I'll still have most of you at the end!

Reviews will be greatly appreciated! So are the skills of my beta philyra.

Love always,  
Chigiri Sasaki


	11. Chapter Eleven: Confrontation

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything of Naruto.

**Destined to Love  
**_By: Chigiri Sasaki _

Summary: He was a prodigy, with a damaged past and no future. She was a commoner, with a hidden secret. Strung together by fate, it was only a matter of time before she changed his life forever. AU, NejiTen

**Chapter Eleven**

Akira's entire body reacted upon hearing her name. Her muscles contracted and her hands balled into fists. She instantly tore her arm away from his grasp. The sun had already risen and with each passing moment the town stirred to life, but to the two shinobi, it was still as quiet as ever, the tension that lingered around them so heavy and suffocating it was almost as if the world was closing in on them.

"Suzuki Akira…" His voice was eerily quiet.

Akira didn't move or show any indication to confirm that she was, indeed, Akira. There was no need in revealing that the land of lightning was seeking for revenge, whether Neji and the rest of the clan were aware of it or not. She remained motionless in her defensive stance, waiting for Neji to make his next move.

"Akira," he said once again, and immediately Akira felt the underlying hatred in his voice. She instantly drew out her long sword and switched her stance from defensive to offensive, directing her sword squarely at his heart.

But although she had made such a move, Neji still advanced towards her steadily, his eyes and face blank as if he was oblivious to the pain she was able to inflict upon him. Did he want to be killed?

"It was clever of you to poison me," he said, and bent down to pick up something.

Akira's gaze followed his movements and looked down. To her slight surprise, it was the weapon scroll that she had dropped earlier when she had attempted to kill the messenger bird. Her eyebrows furrowed as she wondered what he would do with it, but her frown slowly changed into a tiny smirk when she saw Neji's body trembling. Akira could tell that Neji was trying to ignore the numbing poison, and was attempting to summon his remaining energy to put up a fight. It was pitiful to watch.

"Damn it," Neji hissed dangerously. "Damn it all." He closed his eyes and began concentrating on his blood and chakra flow. He had practiced this before; Hiashi had once closed up all of his chakra points and left the young prodigy to unblock them by himself. Remembering what he had done in the past, Neji relaxed his muscles and began to concentrate. If he could only…

On the other side stood Akira, whose eyes were fixed intensely upon the focusing prodigy, staring at him unblinkingly, watching him tremble as he struggled to gain feeling back into his limbs. There was no way he would generate more chakra in such a short moment's notice—he used it up when he trained back in his training area—she saw it all.

But she suddenly caught her breath when he stopped moving. _What now?_ She felt her grip tighten around her sword. Although she was not supposed to injure him, she felt the need to defend herself—she found it very unsettling and uncomfortable when she started to feel such a sudden and dark aura coming from Neji.

The Hyuuga prodigy felt queerly powerful all of a sudden. He felt bursts of chakra suddenly gushing into his body, and he felt his body regaining even more strength and speed than ever. Raw emotions of hatred and anger from everything that made him bitter made his blood bubble and he suddenly felt a strange urge to get rid of Akira—the source of Tenten's departure, the source of their families' feud—the source of his bitterness.

Neji's eyes suddenly snapped open and his Byakugan activated instantly and Akira immediately saw the murderous intent in his eyes. By the next tenth of a second Hyuuga Neji was already charging at her.

It was all too fast, really. She had never expected him to overcome the numbing poison that she had inserted into his drink in such a short period of time. All along she had a deep gut instinct that she had not put enough poison to numb him completely, but at the same time she knew she couldn't risk the chance of killing him by an overdose. Akira cursed; at this rate, she would be discovered.

Neji came faster and faster. His speed was intimidating, but it wasn't fast enough for Akira to lose focus—her sharp eyes kept up and saw through every step. She fingered her sword, knowing in a matter of milliseconds she would have to draw it out.

But Neji disappeared at the last moment.

Akira's head instantaneously snapped upwards. She swiftly swept her sword all around her to prevent a surprise attack, but Hyuuga Neji was nowhere to be seen. After looking all around her the kunoichi finally realised that only quietness surrounded her and that Neji had probably escaped.

Akira stabbed her sword into the ground and cursed. This wasn't part of her plan. This wasn't supposed to happen—she wasn't supposed to be here, trying to find her victim and waiting to be caught—she was supposed to be on her way back to the land of lightning! Akira pursed her lips and anxiety filled her eyes simply wondering what punishment she would have to face. But she knew that she had to leave now—if Neji really did leave, then he would probably be heading towards the Hyuuga manor to report her to the clan head. Annoyance immediately surfaced in her pools of hazel.

The distraction was all Neji needed.

He instantly charged at her, his mind driven by nothing but hatred and bitterness. He didn't care how much stronger she was or what after-effects his body would suffer later on or how the results would be—he ran and ran with everything he had.

He knew she noticed him at the last second and redrew her sword, but he knew it was too late.

The dark chakra surrounding Neji's palm flared as he aimed it towards her heart.

* * *

_Hyuuga Hiashi-san,_

_I was puzzled when you sent the contract asking for my consent to allow Mikya's marriage to Hyuuga Neji. I was puzzled, because there is no marriage. In fact, there is no Mikya. Not anymore, at least. _

_You see, my daughter Mikya was killed the day before her arrival at Konoha. The shock and misery has overwhelmed my family. There were no traces or evidence of the murderer, though I have tried everything within my power to discover his or her identity. I've employed the very best, and everything they tell me is the same—that the murderer had to be an elite Jounin. _

_I had sent a messenger to tell you of this news; had you not received it? _

_Only after reading your recent letter of the confirmation of Mikya's marriage did it hit me that the messenger had not gotten to you, nor did it return back to the Bird country. I was too busy grieving over my daughter to notice that, hence the turmoil the Hyuugas are experiencing right now. Yet oddly, nobody else from the Bird country took note of the missing messenger bird either; the guards had not reported any sightings or missing birds that we have sent. It was then that I realised that something strange was going on._

_My daughter was killed the day before she set off to Konoha and the letter claiming that the marriage was off was not successfully sent. Furthermore, you had sent the confirmation even with the absence of my daughter, which could only mean that an impostor had taken my daughter's name and place. It is likely that the impostor is the murderer._

_There have also been disturbing rumours floating between the countries; I heard that there would be revenge taken upon Konoha from either the Sound or the Lightning. At first I had thought that it was simply a hoax, and brushed it off… but considering the current situation, perhaps there is an enemy after Konoha…_

_Please forgive me. I sent this as quickly as possible to warn you; I truly hope that it isn't too late. _

_Sato Isamu_

Hyuuga Hiashi did not know what to think.

Even after reading it twice he still couldn't tear his eyes away from the letter that arrived just ten minutes ago. Swirling emotions of bitterness and nostalgia and worry and shock all washed over him at once, leaving the poor clan head with his eyes closed in an attempt to clear his mind. Just when he had begun to think that the entire drama that came with Neji's engagement was over, another problem showed up unexpectedly, hitting him like a tidal wave. How could he have not noticed? How could _Neji _not have noticed?

Neji was the most ruthless, conservative and untrusting person Hiashi had ever known—it was unbelievable that he didn't see through her cover. And on top of that, Neji had the _Byakugan_; he could have easily seen what evil plan she was doing when she thought that nobody was looking.

Weariness made its way to Hiashi's wrinkly features. The impostor was obviously after the Byakugan's secret. He thought he had ended everything years ago when he witnessed his brother Hizashi's death, but obviously they found out about the Hyuuga's scheme and they now wanted revenge. So they probably had a kunoichi to reveal their secret through a different approach—she came here as Mikya, hoping that Neji would accept her as his wife and after that she would eventually figure out everything.

A deep crease appeared on the clan head's forehead. And they believed her—they believed every lie the impostor said because they were all too busy being concerned about Tenten and her closeness with Neji. And then Neji chased Tenten away, thinking she was up to no good when he was protecting thereal enemy. They had all been foolish. Right now the impostor was probably with Neji, watching him train—

Hiashi's eyes widened in alarm when the realisation finally hit him.

_Neji's in danger._

"Where's Neji?" he instantly demanded, grabbing the nearby servant's shoulders.

He didn't even wait for the poor, frightened girl to reply. He stomped past her, pushing her out of his way and tore past the hallways of the Hyuuga manor to head outside. He instantly activated his Byakugan when cold, fresh, morning outdoor air reached his lungs. Despite the chilly temperature he walked out with only his robe to protect him against the cold, and he examined the area that Neji would usually be found training in. But to his great dismay, it was empty.

His eyes instantly travelled towards the Konoha borderline, where he knew the impostor would be heading towards if she were to carry out her escape plan. More than anything did he hope that Neji had figured out her plan and was holding up well fighting against 'Mikya', but something told him that the impostor was, by far, stronger than the Hyuuga prodigy.

And when Hiashi finally spotted them two, he knew he was right.

* * *

"_It's a sunset, little one," said a soft voice. "It rises every morning and sets every dusk, but it never becomes any less beautiful." Her ever-present loving smile was in place and the light cast a soft glow over her lovely features. Tenten looked up and smiled at the woman. Her mother was always one of beauty and grace. _

_Tenten was resting her head on the woman's lap. She felt her mother's fingers run through her silken auburn strands as she watched the sun disappear into the horizon. "It's so… so beautiful," Tenten whispered childishly, her stubby little fingers reaching out. "I want to bring it home, mommy!" _

_The woman's soft stroking suddenly stopped. She then exhaled a sigh that was sounded so sad it made young Tenten sit up in response and tilt her head questioningly at her mother. "What's wrong, mommy?" _

"_Tenten… there is no 'home' anymore. We—" _

_The words wouldn't come out. The corners of the woman's soft brown eyes began to mist up as she stared into her young daughter's bright and innocent amber eyes__, wondering how she would _ever_ be able to forgive herself after all this ended. She swallowed hard and held her daughter gently by the shoulders. "I can't do this," she whispered, her voice cracking, "I can't do this to you, Tenten… I-I can't."_

Tenten woke up with a start. Beads of perspiration trickled down her back and her forehead gleamed with sweat but at the same time she was freezing. Her hazel eyes were wide with horror and her head was pounding and then Tenten sat there completely in a daze, her mind trying hard to decipher the situation. Where was she? Her frantic eyes darted across the room back and forth, scanning the airy white room in the process. Through the open window on the left, the chilly morning wind darted in—a ruthless, cool touch that seeped through the thin material of her Chinese-styled attire. Although cold, Tenten found it to be rather calming.

"Tenten!" a voice cried as someone suddenly burst into the room. Tenten jumped and her first reaction was to defend herself, but she relaxed slightly when she saw the warm but worried cerulean eyes of her friend Yamanaka Ino. "Tenten! Are you alright? What happened? I knew Sakura or I should have stayed home with you! I'm so sorry that I didn't—"

"Where am I?" Tenten asked hoarsely.

"At the hospital," Ino replied, blinking. "Don't you remember? You collapsed at my house, and no one knew until Sakura and I came back. I'm so sorry that I didn't come home right away… we had so many shifts to cover at the hospital and there was just so many patients and everything—" Ino paused. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." Tenten rubbed her temples. She had a terrible headache, but she didn't exactly have the heart to tell her friend to go away.

"Well," Ino said, getting the message, "I better get going now—Tsunade-sama told me to call her when you wake up. So stay put until Tsunade-sama comes, okay?"

Tenten caught her breath. Did she have a disease so severe that she needed medical attention from the Hokage herself? The brunette had always anticipated for the moment where she would meet her idol Tsunade, but not in a place as sombre as the hospital, where Tsunade might deliver news that could place her in an unstable position for the rest of her life.

Just then, the door opened, and in came Tsunade, the beautiful and powerful direct descendant of the two greatest shinobi in the leaf village. She looked a lot older from up close, but, Tenten figured, it must have been all the hours that she had to stay up working at the hospital. Tenten glanced at her idol in admiration. Her skill, strength, compassion and strong sense of leadership was what the young kunoichi looked up to.

"Tenten," Tsunade said nonchalantly as she wrote on her clipboard quickly, not even looking at her patient. "You fainted after seeing a scenario, right?"

"Yes."

Tsunade pursed her ruby lips for a moment. "Was it about your parents or your early childhood?"

"Yes," Tenten answered, "I saw my mom, but I still don't know where or who my parents really are."

"I see." The Hokage continued to write, professionalism evident in her movements.

An uneasy tension lingered in the atmosphere. Tenten bit her lip as she watched Tsunade go out the room to consult with the doctors that passed by. Tenten didn't mean to be impolite by blurting out questions, but as soon as Tsunade came back in, the inquiry just rolled off her tongue. "What's wrong with me?"

"Well," the blonde-haired woman said slowly, reading off the papers, "the doctor that examined you says that you're in pretty good health, except you're lacking a few nutrients—"

"No, as in what's happening to me. I need to know."

Tsunade didn't seem to mind the rude interruption and set down her clipboard. She looked directly at Tenten for the first time, her piercing eyes boring into her soul. "Tenten," she said solemnly, "you are going to get your memory back."

Right then, everything stopped for Tenten. Silence immediately enveloped the hospital room. Outside, cries of urgency and sorrow still filled the hallways, and sounds of heavy footsteps still echoed continually through each corridor, but Tenten couldn't hear it. She couldn't hear any of it.

Tsunade didn't seem to notice and continued. "But I must let you know, Tenten, that you didn't lose your memory naturally from an injury or something of that sort. There was a jutsu performed on you—a jutsu so rare that I don't know anyone in Konoha that knows how to do it exactly. But after a certain period of time passes, the after-effects from the jutsu will start to fade away, hence the brief scenario your mind just recalled."

Tenten was looking at Tsunade, but she couldn't hear her. It was as if she was looking right through her because her brown hazel eyes were wide and lifeless and dull. The only thing that occupied her thoughts was the fact that she was going to remember her past; half of her had went into complete shock, while the other half was rather happy that she would finally know who she really was. Her swirling emotions just seemed too much and too overwhelming and the truth just seemed too strong, and eventually Tenten clamped her ears and closed her eyes in a desperate attempt to shut everything out.

"Tenten?" Tsunade suddenly called, gently shaking her shoulders. "Tenten!"

Her voice was commanding and strong but Tenten could barely hear her. Her voice sounded so distant and faint to her, blending into the background with such ease. At this moment, the only thing she could hear was the uneven beating of her heart.

Ba-bum. Ba-bum.

When the beating became so loud that Tenten actually thought that the pain would actually obliterate her mind, something cool and soothing touched her forehead and suddenly everything felt better—and then, eventually, all the pain was gone.

Tenten slowly opened her eyes to see Tsunade's hand hovering over her forehead, releasing a steady, constant amount of glowing blue chakra. Tenten's eyes trailed off to the distance where a few other doctors as well as Ino and Sakura stood presently, staring and observing Tsunade's actions intently.

"Tenten," the Hokage said, drawing her hand back. She turned back to her clipboard. "From now on, you will be experiencing such pains until you remember everything from your past to the present. The part of your brain that had kept all your memories up to now was… dead, if you will, and it was suddenly activated a few days ago when you fainted. Your mind is not used to the extra knowledge, so it's completely normal if you feel extreme discomfort."

Tenten nodded slightly. "So what can I do about the pain?"

"Regular painkillers will do the job." Tsunade turned to doctors that were standing a few feet away from the bed. "You all should return back to your regular jobs; I can handle it from here. Call in one of the nurses to look after the patient."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama," they all chorused at once, bowed to bid farewell, and left the room in an orderly fashion. Tenten watched in slight amusement; something about their routine suggested that they had been practicing that for quite some time. Her attention, however, was instantly averted back to the Hokage when she tapped the clipboard with her long ruby fingernails.

"Where do you live, Tenten?"

"I live in the south of Konoha," she answered promptly. "You know, the rural area surrounded by the forests."

Tsunade's eyebrows furrowed. "That's really far. So what brought you here?"

"Well, I was here to tutor Hyuuga Neji"—Tsunade saw something flash briefly in her eyes—"but then things got complicated and I quit and was about to go back home. But then Ino found me, and I've been living in her house for the past week with some other village girls."

"That's odd, because there have been rumours that the Land of Lightning is coming back for revenge and their representative is living with the Hyuugas. Do you happen to know anything about that?"

Tenten cast a questioning glance to the Hokage. "Me? No, I don't really know anything about Konoha's past or anything like that… I've been living in my little cottage all my life. It's all I know."

"I see." Tsunade quickly jotted down some notes and after a few moments she stood up. "Well, you're good to go now," she said, handing the brunette a few papers and a pen. "Please fill out these forms and give them to the receptionist when you leave." Tsunade gave her a brief smile. "Feel better, Tenten."

Tenten smiled gratefully and watched the retreating figure of her idol. When the door slammed shut and everything became quiet again, the overwhelming reality hit Tenten once more and the dreadful feeling came back. Tenten instinctively reached for her neck, as she would whenever she was nervous, but her hand instantly dropped when she remembered that her precious necklace wasn't there. Tenten sighed.

She had first discovered that it was gone the first day she had slept over at Ino's. She noticed the missing jewellery right before bed; she would always hold her necklace before she went to sleep because it would always provide comfort of some sort to ease the burden she bore on her shoulders every day. It had always helped to know that she had an identity—something to prove that she was human, something to prove her existence as an individual.

It meant the world to her. Knowing she wouldn't be able to sleep anyway, Tenten had gone out that very night into the rain, searching every street and garbage can for that piece of jewellery for hours. She had been searching desperately for the following few days as well, but to no avail. When Ino told her that even Hinata couldn't find it in the Hyuuga compound, Tenten had finally come to the realisation that it was gone forever.

Tenten's heart suddenly grew heavy with dread. What if her memories were sealed for a good reason? What if her parents weren't what she thought they would be?

Tenten looked out the window and tilted her head to the boundless sky, deeply lost in thought.

* * *

  
The impact was deafening.

Birds fled from their nests built in the nearby trees, leaves fell from their branches and roof tiles rattled even though the collision took place on ground. Never in his life had Neji witnessed something with the likes of this. Though he was the attacker, he was the one who laid breathless and paralysed on ground right before the large crater that was caused by the impact. He cursed. He should have known that Akira would be able to deflect his attack with an even larger amount of chakra and a sword to top it off.

"Still the strongest out of us three," he commented resentfully, wiping the blood off his chin. He was perfectly aware of the dark red pool of blood growing beneath him. "Gai-sensei would have been proud of you."

"Still remember me after all these years?"

Neji eyed her coolly. "Who could forget the disloyal betrayer?"

Akira shook her head gently. "I did it for the clan, and don't try that on me, Hyuuga Neji. You would've done the same thing. You would've done the exact same thing."

"So that's your excuse?" Neji questioned bitterly. His eyes hardened. "So because it was for your clan, it made it okay to throw away everything?" His voice rose. "Was it really okay to let everything go and betray your own team?"

Something flashed in Akira's eyes and she looked away.

"And now you're back for revenge, aren't you?" His breath was rather laboured as he spoke, and his hand was clamped over the side her sword had punctured. "You're doing this all for your clan."

Akira sighed softly. "Yes, but I wouldn't have agreed to the mission if it weren't for the fact that I would see my old teammate again. After all, we were sparring partners. We made a great team." Her voice softened. "How are you? And Lee and Gai-sensei?"

"We're all doing great without you."

Akira smiled tiredly. "Don't be so bitter. I already feel bad for blaming everything on other people."

"Do you?"

"Well, no," Akira admitted, "because Tenten's a ninja too. And if she were a real ninja, nothing should have been able to hurt her."

_Tenten._

The name of his tutor made Neji's mind unlock memories of her—how he had found her years ago and helped her in her time of need, and how he had chased her away and accused her of doing something she would never do. "You and I are both ninjas," he said quietly, his strained voice becoming more and more hoarse. "But Tenten's different—she's a person. She has dreams, hopes, and more than anything does she want to find out who her parents are." He unsteadily stood up. "She isn't strong, but she works hard for everything she has ever dreamed of. She's everything that we aren't."

Every trace of coldness in Akira's eyes disappeared as she looked at her former teammate in awe. He resembled the little boy she used to know, but somehow, she couldn't see his old self anymore.

"You've changed so much, Neji," she said quietly, in admiration. "We used to be so alike… so cold, ungrateful, unloving. You know, I still remember the time where we made a pact that we would be the top in our own clans." The seventeen year old paused when she glanced briefly at her sword, which was dark to the hilt. "And I'm sorry, Neji. I had never had the intention to take away Tenten. I can see that she means a lot to you."

"She doesn't mean anything to me," Neji retorted impassively, his eyes emotionless. "And I never changed. And by the looks of it, neither have you. You're still the same girl you were five years ago—smart, conniving and uncannily strong, but always getting distracted."

Akira looked up, and Neji saw those cold stony emotionless eyes once again. "Not quite."

Her figure instantly disappeared into a cloud of smoke, and Neji's eyes widened slightly when she appeared behind him. "You," she breathed into his ear, "were the one distracted."

The Hyuuga prodigy didn't make any move to respond. There was no need to anymore, he figured. He had lost too much blood and he had over exerted himself. He couldn't put up a fight either way—whether he actually tried confronting her or running away. Neji closed his eyes. Maybe his time was up. Maybe this, him standing on Konoha grounds with someone he hated, was the end.

"You won't win, Akira."

"Repeat?" she growled.

"The body your clan took twelve years ago was the one of my father and not Hiashi-sama's, as you might have guessed. Your clan did not find any trace of the Byakugan because my father had a curse placed upon him. Once the wielder died, the bloodline limit would go along with it. And now," Neji said, with both emotional and physical pain, "I suffer the same curse that my father had once bore. So there's no point. You won't figure out the secret."

"Don't test my patience, Hyuuga Neji." Akira raised her sword and Neji immediately felt the cold steel press against his neck.

"I don't need to. My uncle is coming. He has read the letter and has figured out that you're nothing but a fake, and likely, there would be backup coming as well. No matter how strong or fast you are, you won't leave without a fight."

Akira pursed her lips.

"Try to bring me back, and you'd be slowed down by my weight. You'd be stopped on the way by a four man team, and you wouldn't be able to fight without putting me down." Confidence surfaced in his pools of ivory. "Leave me here and I will report you."

The corners of his lips uplifted and Neji smirked outwardly. "Either way, you won't win."

"Hm. Still the genius, I see," Akira commented airily. "What you're saying is actually true. But what if I did"—Akira drew her sword from the side of his neck—"_this_?"

There was that sickening squelch that both Neji and Akira had become used to after years of missions and training, and that was the sound of pierced flesh and blood spurting. Even though everything was going at a pace too fast for his mind to comprehend, Neji knew she had plunged her sword into his chest and grazed his heart.

His insides tightened and intolerable pain seared through every fibre in his body, and Neji's eyes widened and his face paled from suffering. He sank to the ground moaning in pure agony but the pain quickly subsided when his body went completely limp. He couldn't feel the pain anymore, but his sleeve was turning red as dark blood oozed out. But to his horror, there were tints of dark purple around his wound on his shirt.

Poison.

Neji found himself unusually weak all of a sudden, his vision distorting and breathing was suddenly hard. More than anything at that moment he wanted to let those eyelids drop. This couldn't be the end, he thought faintly. He was too young—he hadn't been around long enough to prove himself and be the leader of his clan…

The last thing Hyuuga Neji saw was his former teammate disappearing into the light.

-

-

-

-

**A/N:** Betcha didn't see that coming. Haha.

Okay, I'm soooo sorry I didn't get this out earlier. Life has been hectic and school was torture… and well, time just flew by! Well, hope y'all are still interested. Cause I have the next 12 chapters planned out (not written, though), so there's no more writer's block for me! Yay! And also, I sort of re-edited the previous chatpers. another yay!

and omffffggg. Who loves hockey here? I can't wait to see Detroit vs. Pittsburgh!! I was always rooting for the canadiens. Go habs go! :))

And ommfffggg-er! Who here loves Twilight?! I swear to God, you cannot read the book without falling in love with Edward Cullen. I can't wait 'till the movie comes out!! Have you seen Pattinson playing Edward Cullen in the trailer? Uh, can you spell G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S hot vampire?!

Much thanks to my beta Philyra. She's totally awesome.

Love always,  
Chigiri Sasakii


	12. Chapter Twelve: Stories

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything of Naruto.

**Destined to Love  
**_By: Chigiri Sasaki _

Summary: He was a prodigy, with a damaged past and no future. She was a commoner, with a hidden secret. Strung together by fate, it was only a matter of time before she changed his life forever. AU, NejiTen

**Chapter Twelve**

"What happened?"

"Impossible!"

These were the exclamations of nearby townspeople as Hyuuga Hiashi ran through the streets with Neji in his arms. But as fast as he flew, he couldn't outrun them.

"Is that Hyuuga _Neji_?"

"I thought he was stronger than that!"

Hiashi let out a low growl as he sped up. The murmurs of disapproval for the clan was the last thing the clan head wanted to hear. He hated how the townspeople would only speak up for the sake of gossip instead of the much more appreciated concern. It was sickening to know that they found it interesting and a sight to see the prodigy of Konoha's most noble clan injured and fallen from grace. More heads snapped around at the sound of Hiashi's urgent footsteps but he regarded them with little concern.

Just an hour ago had the leader of the Hyuuga clan been sleeping peacefully in his futon. It was still early dawn when a Hyuuga guard came knocking rather loudly at his door; he had claimed there was an urgent message from the bird country that simply had to be taken care of. Quickly recognising the country as the one of Neji future wife's, Hiashi had gotten up without another word and read the letter.

The letter had informed him of Sato Mikya's murder and how the original message explaining her death and the cancellation of the wedding had never been successfully sent.

Hiashi had left the Hyuuga manor then and gone right out into the chilly morning to search for Neji. He had spotted them quickly, thanks to the help of his bloodline limit. But by the time he had arrived the Mikya impostor was gone, and he found Neji sprawled across the ground, a pool of fresh blood still flowing underneath him.

But that wasn't what was the most disturbing. It was the fact that even as Neji laid unconscious, there was still the frown that marred the straight line of his lips. It was as if he was still silently rebelling against something, even when everything else in his mind had shut down. Neji's unsettled expression that mirrored Hizashi's haunted Hiashi to this very moment as he was carrying Neji in his arms to the hospital.

The bold letters from the sign that said 'Konoha Hospital' soon came into view and Hiashi sighed a breath of relief; Neji was soon to be under the care of the fifth Hokage. He then surely had hope, right? Hiashi looked down at the prodigy, and all traces of relief disappeared as his breath caught and his eyes clouded with fear. Neji's chest was barely rising.

With a surge of panic Hiashi quickened his pace. The moment the automatic doors of Konoha hospital slid open, he instantly rushed to the receptionist despite the line of people who were waiting impatiently for service.

"This is an emergency," Hiashi explained quickly, his voice low but frantic. "Hyuuga Neji was stabbed by a sword, and it's likely that there was poison involved." The people nearby immediately quieted as they strained to hear. "He's lost a lot of blood and his pulse is faint."

The receptionist looked up briefly and then pressed a button without a second glance. "Prepare the emergency room," she said urgently into the receiver. "Call Tsunade-sama and tell her we have Hyuuga Neji in critical condition."

Murmurs and whispers began filling the waiting room, but Hiashi ignored them as he followed a nurse to the emergency room. At the moment, the Hyuuga clan's reputation and how people saw them was the least of his concerns. Hiashi didn't know how he would ever be able to forgive himself if Neji didn't live through this—Neji was, undoubtedly, his brother's hope. Neji had abilities that surpassed even those of the main household. Elite and composed, Neji had a future so bright it would truly be a tragedy if this was the end for him.

"I'm afraid you'll have to wait outside, Hyuuga-sama," the nurse said politely, stopping in front of the emergency room. She took Neji from Hiashi's arms. "One of the nurses or doctors will come and inform you of Neji's condition. Meanwhile, you should change into something else. The blood on your clothing is not sanitary." She gave him a brief smile and within seconds she disappeared into the room.

Hiashi sat in the nearby seats and inhaled sharply. He couldn't help but take the blame of this all. Maybe, if he had been more resistant against the elders, then the Mikya impostor wouldn't have stayed and injured Neji like this. Maybe, if he had been more doubtful when he heard about Tenten's attempt at poisoning, then he would have discovered the truth earlier. Maybe, if he had not been so reckless and killed that ninja years ago, then the land of lightning wouldn't be seeking revenge to this day. Hiashi sighed. Either way, it seemed as if he was the reason as to why they were in this mess.

His nose suddenly wrinkled in disgust. Whether it was himself or the blood, he didn't know. But Hiashi had grown used to the smelling the rusty, salty smell of blood over the years. Maybe it had to with the fact that it came from his own family that made the stench of Neji's blood so overwhelming.

The leader of the Hyuugas glanced briefly at the sign that glowed red and felt a wave of tiredness wash over him. He might as well go change. It would take a while to clear the poison out of Neji's bloodstream. And even when they did, it would still take a while before the wounds healed and Neji gained consciousness again.

"Hiashi-sama?"

Hiashi's train of thoughts broke off and his head snapped around at the sound of his name. He recognised the soft, sweet yet fierce voice even though he hadn't been around the young kunoichi for quite a while.

And, sure enough, standing in the white hallway stood Tenten, her brown hair still tied up in the buns, her slender frame still wearing the Chinese-styled attire, looking exactly like the last time he had seen her. He nodded his head slightly in acknowledgement. "Tenten."

Tenten smiled slightly, unsure as to how the clan head now saw her. After all, she did leave unannounced and her sudden departure probably made Neji seem like he was right about his accusations. The brunette bit her lip when she saw Hiashi's unreadable expression. Did he think that she was irresponsible? Did he think that she tried to poison Neji, too? Unknowingly, she began to play with the corners of the papers that she held in her hands.

"So what brings you here?"

Tenten was surprised by the friendliness in his voice. "Oh, well, I kind of fainted, and then my friend Ino brought me here. I'm all right now, though. I was going to hand these"—she raised the sheets Tsunade had given earlier—"until I saw you. They're just some sheets to fill out for my medical file."

"You don't have one?"

Tenten shook her head and pointed a finger to herself. "Commoner," she said, imitating Neji perfectly, "remember?"

Hiashi chuckled and his eyes were warm again. "Oh, right."

Tenten couldn't help but laugh along as she seated herself across Hiashi. It wasn't actually that funny, but she felt so at home when she was with him and it was just too easy for her to be herself. She missed that. She missed Hiashi greatly during her stay at Ino's, regardless of how entertaining and cheerful and kind the girls there were. Something in his presence made her feel warm and happy and cared for—it felt like she was family, instead of that poor lonely girl she really was. Hiashi was like a father figure to her, and that made Tenten feel nothing but remorse remembering how rudely she had left when Hiashi had treated her so kindly during her stay with the Hyuugas.

"So how are you?"

Tenten snapped out of her thoughts and smiled briefly. "I'm good. I've been staying over at Ino's. How about you?"

"The same as usual. Being the clan's head is not as empowering as it seems."

"Well, it sure does seem like it." She pointed at his clothing, where there were patches of red which were, undoubtedly, blood. "I feel bad for whoever you took down. I wish I was there to watch—it must have been quite a fight."

Hiashi's face suddenly changed and discomfort flitted across his face. "Actually, that's the reason why I'm here."

"You're hurt?" Realisation finally hit her when he shook his head and she glanced warily at the emergency room. "Who's hurt?"

The reply came out as a whisper. "Neji."

Tenten opened her mouth to say something, but no words would come out. She was used to hearing this. Whether she was a Konoha citizen or not, she was used to seeing and hearing stories about ninja dying from a fight. Witnessing a ninja dying in a hospital was no new news for her—and apparently, Tenten thought as she saw the vacant seats, to the clan as well—yet something about Neji being in the dreaded emergency room seemed to be bothering and more perturbing than usual. She released the breath she never knew she was holding.

"Is he alright?" she managed finally.

Hiashi's wary eyes tightened. "I don't know. He's lost a lot of blood. He was barely breathing when I arrived."

Tenten felt her heart sink. She was a kunoichi, and she was indeed used to the idea of ninja dying for the safety of the village. It was a real honour, really, to die for your village, and there was always a sense of pride people took when they told these stories to others. But as Tenten looked at Hiashi's worried expression she knew Neji's case was different—he didn't fight for the village nor for the sake of his clan. She didn't know Neji that well, nor did she know what this case was about, but she had seen Neji's eyes when he trained; the disconnected, distant look indicated that he fought solely to prove himself, even though that task was accomplished years ago. Neji fought for himself every day, he fought for his future, for his life… Tenten stopped as she felt her eyes begin to sting. She was surprised; since when had she thought of Neji like that?

She buried that odd feeling underneath the many layers of worry and anxiety and looked at the clan leader, who hadn't moved an inch since she had first seen him. "Neji's stronger than that," she said quickly. "And I'm sure the enemy had to be really strong in order to get Neji into a state like this…" Her face became thoughtful. "What happened? It isn't like Neji to be injured like this."

"He was poisoned."

Tenten tensed and her face turned defensive. "I swear I didn't poison Neji. I know when I left it must have looked like it, but you have to believe me—"

"It was Mikya." His voice was curt and bitter. "Or, rather, I should say the impostor of Mikya. The real one is dead."

The brunette's eyes widened in realisation. So that was the reason why Mikya had acted so rudely to her. It wasn't from jealousy or her overprotective attitude, like Tenten had believed—it was all part of the plan. It all seemed to piece together then. Tenten knew how Mikya had pushed her down, forcing her to use the remains of the medicine which was poisoned was all too coincidental. And she was right—it was all a scheme to get rid of her so Mikya could have Neji all to herself. But what was her goal, though? And what had she meant when she said, 'don't meddle with family issues' on the day of her arrival?

"What did she want?" Tenten asked quietly, her voice serious. "What did she want so badly that made her do all of this?"

Hiashi remained silent, and his eyes were hesitant. There was no need for Tenten to be involved with any of this, nor did she need to know about Neji's bitter past that had caused him to act like how he did now. Should Tenten know about the constantly sought after secret about the Byakugan? What if _she_ was after it, too? Could he trust her? _Should_ he trust her?

"It's okay," Tenten assured quickly, seeing his doubtful expression. "You don't have to tell me. I wouldn't want to meddle with family issues. It's none of my business, anyways." She stood up and straightened the folds in her clothes. "And I have go now," she said. She smiled. "It was nice seeing you again, Hiashi-sama. Send Neji my best regards."

Hiashi's eyes flickered with surprise. "You're leaving?"

"Well, I have to go sometime." She raised the multicoloured papers that Tsunade had told her to fill out earlier. "I still have to do this and I have lots of other things to do. My fainting and staying at the hospital already wasted a lot of my time." She swerved around to leave.

"Wait," Hiashi called out suddenly, causing Tenten's movements to come to a stop. "I was thinking," he said slowly, carefully choosing his words, "if you would like to continue your job. As Neji's peer tutor."

"No thanks, it's fine." Tenten smiled, but Hiashi could hear the slightest twinge of bitterness that withered her voice. "Neji chased me out of there, remember?"

"But he didn't know—"

"Good day, Hiashi-sama."

Her tone rung with such finality the only thing Hyuuga Hiashi could do was to watch as his last hope strolled away. Sadness reflected in his pale eyes as he glanced back warily at the glowing red sign on top of the door.

He recalled the unsettled expression Neji held when he disappeared into the emergency room. The slight furrow of his eyebrows, the tiny frown that graced his lips, the hollow dark circles under his closed eyes that indicated that there was some unfinished business that had to be done. A strand of silver hair fell over his creased forehead. Neji couldn't possibly die—not right now, not right here when he was still cold and unloving and hadn't seen the true meaning of life yet.

Hiashi could only hope that perhaps someday a nice young girl would come along and show the prodigy that he was never alone. The image of Tenten then appeared in his mind. Looking back, Neji didn't seem to mind her presence all that much and there were changes in him—they were subtle, but they were still enough to be accounted as a difference.

Tenten could change Neji and show him the side of life he had never seen before. They just had to realise that.

* * *

Tenten exhaled in relief as she walked down the long, white corridor. She had almost forgotten to breathe when she felt the intense tension lingering in the air. Being in the hospital somehow contributed to the heavy and uncomfortable atmosphere; maybe it had to with all the deaths that happened here. Tenten instantly shuddered thinking of Neji.

Tenten kept her eyes on the tiled floor as she walked back towards the receptionist. Sounds of heavy footsteps echoed continually, almost tauntingly, through the corridor, wheels screeching each time it either halted or curved to a sharp turn. Tenten looked in both ends, and frowned in suspicion when nobody was there. It was mentioned earlier that there were patients flooding the hospital, yet the hallway was completely empty. Natural instincts kicked in and Tenten picked up her pace.

When she was near the end, she began to hear voices that spoke in a hushed conversation. As she approached closer, the voices became clearer and Tenten was soon able to make out the words.

"I can't believe it," a female voice murmured. Tenten's eyes narrowed—it sounded so familiar.

"I know!" another voice exclaimed. "She's so young… I can't believe she has so many brain tumours at such a young age."

"How many days do you think she has left?" the first female voice asked. Recognition finally hit Tenten and she realised that the two voices belonged to Ino and Sakura.

"I don't know. Tsunade said—"

Tenten had been too busy eavesdropping on their conversation she didn't notice when Ino paused. Tenten had been crouching, staring intently at the ground near the end of the hallway just before it came to a turn. Only when two pairs of shoes suddenly came into her view did Tenten look up. She smiled sheepishly. "H-hi."

"Tenten," they both said at once, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I don't know. I was going to bring these"—Tenten raised her sheets which were, by now, folded around the edges—"to the receptionist. But I think I got lost."

"You shouldn't be here, Tenten," Sakura said, frowning. "It's forbidden for patients to wander this far into the west wing. It's a surprise you even ended up here."

"That would explain how empty it is."

"You should go now before you get caught." Ino took Tenten by the arm and began walking towards the direction where Tenten came from. "We'll bring you back to the receptionist, just in case you get lost and end up in some other forbidden area."

Tenten let herself be dragged by Ino and followed her two friends as they walked down the complex twists and turns of Konoha hospital. "So," she said casually after a moment, "what made that area so forbidden?"

"Top secret medicine, formulas, weapons… all that stuff." Ino's voice was distant and curt, and Tenten knew that the blonde wanted to say as little as possible about the topic which was probably prohibited to talk about to outside commoners.

"Who were you guys talking about?"

"Amaya," Sakura replied with the same amount of curtness, and her gaze flickered over to Tenten, wondering how much she had heard from their conversation. "How much have you heard?"

"Just the last bit," Tenten answered, frowning slightly, disliking the coldness the two girls had when they worked at the hospital. "Can I visit her?"

Sakura's eyes softened considerably. She glanced over to Ino for reassurance, who had an unreadable expression as she nodded slightly for encouragement. Sakura turned around to Tenten and smiled. It didn't touch her eyes. "Sure, Tenten. I suppose it wouldn't hurt now."

Tenten flinched slightly, hating the way she had phrased it. "How much time does she have left?"

"Not much," Ino replied. "Tsunade-sama said there are tumours in almost every crevice of her tiny and fragile skull. It's amazing she's even alive now—treatment or no treatment, she has only a few more weeks. A month, at most." She ignored the stern look Sakura cast her. "Amaya's fits are more frequent now. So are her headaches, too. But one day, the pain will be so unbearable her body wouldn't be able to take it anymore—but Tsunade-sama said she would numb and put Amaya to sleep before it got to that point. Until then, she works on the cure with medics whenever she has time. Tsunade-sama barely had any sleep these past few weeks."

"And that puts more stress on us to take care of the rest," Sakura added with a hint of annoyance. "That's why we don't ever have free time now."

Tenten nodded slowly. "But you can't blame her."

Ino shrugged. "We don't."

"So does Amaya know about all this?" the brunette inquired.

Sakura scowled slightly at her failed attempt to change the subject. "No. And we intend to keep it that way."

The rest of the walk was then engulfed in an uncomfortable silence. No one spoke a word after Sakura's words that came out rather coldly; each person was deeply buried into their own thoughts, but each of them wondered how they would be able to keep the truth away from Amaya—especially Tenten, who thought that it was wrong to keep someone in the dark, regardless of how much the reality would hurt. Tenten was rather acquainted with that kind of pain.

Sakura left midway when a doctor found them and claimed that he needed one of either Sakura or Ino's help. Sakura instantly volunteered when one of her teammate's name was mentioned, claiming she needed to talk to him anyway. Whether the brunette was used to it or not, she always felt a strange feeling at the pit of her stomach whenever the word 'teammate' was mentioned. More than anything did she want to be in a team, to go on missions and come back to a village of friends and teachers and parents that she would be able to be friends with.

"We're here," Ino said, interrupting her thoughts as she stopped at the room that was marked '109'. The blonde turned to Tenten and eyed her warily. "Please don't mention anything about her disease."

"Why not?" Tenten asked quietly, in case Amaya was able to hear.

"The brain tumours are already causing her enough pain. She's having fits and her recent headaches were so bad even painkillers didn't work against them." Her voice lowered. "Tsunade-sama doesn't even know if the brain tumours are regular. Something about the way they react inside her skull doesn't seem normal, and Tsunade-sama can't help but think someone else has implanted something."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, and that's why we don't want to tell her anything. All we know is that she doesn't have much time left, so we're trying to make her last few weeks memorable." Ino's eyes tightened. "Tsunade-sama doesn't let her out, just in case something happened and we weren't able to handle it. So can you imagine spending the rest of your life in a hospital?"

"No," Tenten admitted after a moment. "Okay, I promise I won't say anything."

Ino nodded before opening the door. Tenten was rather surprised as she came in; instead of a dull airy hospital room, the place actually looked like a regular bedroom inside a cosy house. The walls were painted in soft shades of pink, and the window on the right was covered with creamy coloured curtains that drifted weightlessly with the wind. The only thing that gave the hospital room away was the equipment that was placed in the left corner of the area. Something told Tenten the equipment was only there in case of an emergency—Tenten had a feeling that Amaya didn't need any of it and only stayed here due to her unstable condition.

Speaking of which, the little girl sat on the rather fancy bed that laid in the centre of the room. Her figure was tiny and frail, the white hospital gown she wore being at least two sizes too big. She was fair skinned, with large cerulean eyes and sandy blonde hair that was tied in two pigtails on each side of her head. Her face was heart shaped, with exceptionally rosy cheeks and prominent cheekbones. Her chubby yet proportional pink lips spread into a wide smile when she caught sight of her friend Ino.

"Hi Ino!" she cried happily, waving her tiny hand. Her eyes were bright and cheerful, but they turned slightly doubtful when she caught sight of Tenten. "Who is she?"

"Oh, this is Tenten, a really good friend of mine," Ino introduced, gesturing towards the brunette. "She'll be here to keep you company while I'm gone, alright?"

The little girl clapped happily. "Okay!"

"I need to do lots of work. I'll see you at the end of the day! Bye Amaya!" Ino smiled at the little girl and gave her head a light pat before heading towards the door. Just before she left, Tenten heard her hushed yet distinct whisper. "Don't mention anything, alright?"

Tenten nodded the slightest bit and exchanged a glance with Ino before she walked out of sight. When the door closed shut Tenten turned back to Amaya, who sat patiently on her bed with her large blue eyes bright blinking innocently.

"Well," Tenten started, breaking the silence, "like Ino said, my name is Tenten, I'm sixteen years old, and I came here to visit you and give you some company." The brunette seated herself in the chair next to the bed. "Want to tell me who you are?"

Amaya lit up and spoke eagerly as if she was reciting in first grade class. "My name is Amaya and I am eight years old!" She grinned proudly.

"Nice to meet you, Amaya." Tenten smiled politely. "This is a really nice room you have here."

"Thank you! Except I hate pink now. I like green!"

"Why do you hate pink?"

"Because that was so long ago. You have to change your favourite colour once in a while!"

"How long has it been?"

"Three weeks."

Tenten laughed.

"Tenten-nee-chan, do _you_ know why I have to stay here? When my friends are sick, they don't have to stay in the hospital…"

"Don't worry. You'll be out of here very soon." Tenten smiled as soothingly as she could.

"I hope so. I get so bored here."

"Well, you have a lot of books to read," Tenten pointed out cheerfully, pointing to the large pile of books. They were stacked messily in a pile on the cupboard by Amaya's bed. "I heard you spend a lot of time reading them, since you're not allowed to leave this room very often."

"I hate reading."

"Why?"

"Reading is hard," Amaya admitted bluntly. "But Sakura and Ino painted the room, so that was kind of fun. They would usually read me a story or two before I go to bed. But I've heard so many boring stories over and over again I know all of them by now."

"That's hardly fair," Tenten said as she took the first book off the stack. She gestured towards the cover. "Don't you love superheroes?"

"I do," Amaya chirped. "But I think I like real people more. The heroes in stories are too perfect. And I think the strong ninjas that Iruka-sensei talks about in class are stronger and braver. Iruka-sensei always told us that dying for what we believe in is hon—hon—hon—"

"Honourable?" Tenten offered.

"Yes. I'm not too good with big words. But he tells us stories about our Hokages and how they died for the safety of the village." She beamed. "I'm so happy Tsunade-sama is our Hokage now. She's strong and beautiful and she helps so many people. I hope I can be just like her one day!"

Tenten smiled softly, beginning to see an exact younger version of herself. "Do you have any other idols that you look up to?"

"Of course," Amaya said excitedly. "My other biggest role model is Hyuuga Neji!"

Amaya didn't notice Tenten stiffening as she began gushing about how strong and talented he was. "He comes from the noble Hyuuga clan, you know. He was named a prodigy ever since he was a little kid! And so many girls have a crush on him. It's so funny, nee-chan, to see them running after him. I think his match with Naruto-kun a few years ago made him super popular. Neji beat Naruto-kun in a matter of minutes!"

Amaya finally stopped when she saw that Tenten had not said anything. Her brown eyes were distant. The only sign that indicated she was actually listening was when she gave an occasional nod. "Tenten-nee-chan?"

The kunoichi jerked abruptly as she snapped out of her thoughts. "Yeah, Neji really is a good role model," she agreed nonchalantly.

"Is something wrong?"

The brunette shook her head and smiled reassuringly. "No, I'm fine. Just… thinking."

"About what?"

Tenten inhaled sharply, finding the first flaw in having a conversation with children. They were nosy. If it were Ino or Sakura, they would probably know when it was the wrong time to pry. That was one of the reasons why Tenten couldn't bring herself to leave Ino's house even after a week; she found comfort of some sort in confiding to these understanding girls. The friendship bond she had with them was something she had been lacking all her life since she had woken up lost and abandoned.

"Tenten-nee-chan?"

Tenten jerked out of her thoughts and smiled briefly.

Amaya giggled. "You go sleepy all the time!"

"Sorry, I was just thinking about a story," Tenten lied smoothly. "You want to hear it?"

Amaya shrugged. "Okay! But I probably heard of it."

"I don't think you've heard of this one. This story is an old classic that actually happened in Konoha."

Interest sparked in her bright blue eyes and Amaya's entire face lit up. "Really?"

"Really."

"Do tell, then!"

"Alright." Tenten laughed lightly before clearing her throat. "There was always a legend here in Konoha," she began, her voice lowering to a tone that was suitable for storytelling. "Many years ago, back when the first Hokage ruled the leaf village, there was a ninja called Masaru. His name meant 'victory', and it fitted him quite well; he was loved by everybody, he came from a strong clan, he was smart, he was handsome, he was strong… everybody thought his life was perfect. But for Masaru, there was always something missing. He felt empty, especially whenever he saw a couple holding hands or kiss, but he couldn't figure out what it was."

Amaya laughed. "Silly Masaru. Of course it's love!"

"Silly Masaru," Tenten agreed, smilingly. "But he was determined to find out what this empty feeling was, and how he could get rid of it. So he left Konoha and went into another village—the land of lightning. And even though he had permission to leave Konoha, he knew that he wasn't welcomed at the land of lightning because they weren't allied. So he went undercover, as a person who claimed to have lived in a rural area all his life.

"But then he met the lord's daughter. She was beyond beautiful, with porcelain skin and soft brown eyes that were so enchanting it cast spells on the men around her. Her name was Sora, legend says, and her name meant 'sky'. That was what Masaru described her beauty as—boundless as the sky and deep as the sea. Masaru and Sora soon fell in love, and Masaru finally discovered the true feeling of love.

"And then the Sora's father—the lord—found out about their relationship. He was angry at Sora—angry that she chose a commoner over the suitable candidate from the bird country, who could have offered an alliance along with his proposal. Of course, at that time, the lord didn't know that Masaru was part of a noble clan in Konoha. But nevertheless he still wished for his daughter's happiness, so he told Sora that his spies would follow her for the next few days to ensure her happiness and safety. He told her if Masaru harmed her in any way, then the relationship would instantly end. Sora quickly agreed to the compromise. She had no idea what would happen next.

"The day after, while Sora and Masaru were walking alone at night, a group of unknown ninjas attacked them. Of course, Masaru used his ninja abilities and fought them off, despite knowing that he had blown off his cover. That night, Sora found out that Masaru was actually supposed to be an enemy. And if that wasn't horrible enough, she realised that her father's spies must have seen everything, too."

Tenten paused for a moment, studying Amaya's face. Within just a few minutes, her facial expression changed from eagerness, to excitement when the story began, to engrossment when Masaru met Sora, and then, finally, to discomfort when Masaru was discovered. Tenten decided to stop. Amaya, after all, was still just eight years old and there was no need to destroy her fantasy and beliefs of fairy tales and expose her to the harsh reality. It probably would have been better if she had just told a normal, classic fairy tale where everybody lived happily ever after.

"Why'd you stop?" Amaya asked, confused. "It was getting really interesting!"

"I'm not sure if you'd like the story. It has a bittersweet ending." Tenten tapped her long slender finger on Amaya's stubby little nose. "Besides, now you'll get the fun of imagining the rest!"

The little blonde giggled and nodded fervently. "But I still want to know what happens."

"I'll tell you next time."

Amaya smiled adorably, displaying the gap where her two front teeth had fallen out. "Promise?" she asked, lifting her pinkie.

"Promise." Tenten laughed wholeheartedly as she wrapped her little finger around Amaya's little one. She was truly becoming more and more attached to this little girl, and she couldn't help but notice how warm and open Amaya was to her, a mere stranger. Maybe all little infants were trusting and warm, regardless of their fates. Tenten wondered. Was she like this when she was younger?

Amaya hummed a little tune as she put a storybook on her lap. She gazed at the cover, which was a picture with a magnificent castle in the background, where the sky was a perfect shade of light blue and where white, puffy clouds drifted weightlessly in the air. There was a long sandy coloured pathway extending from the castle towards the front, where a carriage was led by four breathtakingly white horses. And through the tinted window in the carriage, there were two shadows which, undoubtedly, belonged to the prince and a princess who were in love. Amaya subconsciously fingered the contour of the prince as she turned to Tenten. "Are there real princes out there?" she asked in wonder. "Will I find him one day?"

Tenten laughed lightly. "I don't think there are real princes, Amaya, but there is a guy who would treat you as if you were a real princess." She purposely ignored the second question, and was glad that Amaya didn't seem to notice. "Wouldn't that be nice?"

"Yeah," Amaya agreed eagerly. Her bright cerulean eyes twinkled. "Ne, nee-chan, did you find _your_ prince charming yet?"

Tenten smiled softly and ruffled Amaya's strawberry-blonde hair. "No, I haven't." Something in the way she said it made Amaya think that the kunoichi wanted to drop the subject, but being the stubborn eight year old she was, she continued to press for more information.

"Why not?"

"Well," Tenten began, and then stopped when she saw the excitement and curiosity pouring off the little girl. The kunoichi looked into the bright innocence that shone in the little girl's bright eyes and still couldn't believe that Amaya's life was so short. Amaya was so young—she had so much to see in the world yet she would never be able to see any of it. She was stuck in the hospital, day after day, until her heartbeat would fade into nothing. Tenten just wished that she could tell Amaya that everything would be okay, and that all her dreams wouldn't be wasted because she would have the time to make them come true.

Tenten didn't know Amaya that well yet she felt her heart ache for her. Maybe, Tenten figured, it was because Amaya was like a younger version of herself—young, trapped, lost, and unhappy in a world that had too many limits.

"Let's just say," Tenten finally said, smiling ruefully, "life doesn't always have its happy ending."

* * *

Haruno Sakura sighed dejectedly, her emerald eyes softening with sympathy as she gazed upon the little talkative girl. She was standing outside room 109, where Amaya stayed and where Tenten had spent her entire day, only leaving from time to time to eat her meals or grab a snack. It was already night, and to both the medic kunoichis' relief, the hospital was quiet for a change. Every patient was asleep, with the exceptional few who were either immune to sleeping pills or in the emergency room. Sakura immediately thought of Hyuuga Hiashi who waited for hours in front of it, and wondered if Tenten had heard about Neji's condition. But just asf she was about to tell the older kunoichi, she figured that Tenten wouldn't want to hear about Neji anymore, as she was rather upset the night she ran away from the Hyuugas.

"It's really heartbreaking to know that someone as young and sweet as Amaya will die."

Sakura glanced up and saw her friend Yamanaka Ino walking towards her. "I know," she agreed softly.

Ino didn't reply, for her gaze was too focused on the little girl who was now laughing. Sakura turned to that direction as well, and for a moment both of the kunoichi simply stood there, silenced by the facial expression that Amaya held. She seemed so happy, undisturbed, so serene for once… Even though Sakura and Ino had spent a considerable amount with the little girl, there was still the truth that they were medical ninjas that were ordered to look after her. It somehow separated them, despite the fact that Ino and Sakura truly cared for her. But Tenten was different; she, although older, shared similarities with her and stayed with Amaya because she wanted to. Sakura felt a smile spread on her porcelain face. Tenten and Amaya seemed more like sisters than friends.

"Well, at least she's got company right now," she pointed out quitely.

"I guess. Hey Sakura… Is it just me or did Tenten spend her whole day in that room?"

"Yeah, she did." Sakura tilted her head questioningly. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, I just think that it's best if Tenten doesn't visit her anymore."

Sakura shot her friend a surprised look. "Why would you say something like that? Amaya deserves all the company she can get!"

"No, no, don't get me wrong." But then the blonde's half smile faltered and her expression dropped. "I just don't want Tenten to be too attached to her. It'll just make everything harder for the both of them when Amaya…" She didn't need to finish her sentence to get her meaning across.

"Too late," Sakura said with a sigh. "You and I both know very well that Tenten has a warm heart." Her emerald eyes then flickered over to the doctor who gave them a sceptical look as he passed by, and immediately changed the subject.

"So, I've heard that there is some kind of new epidemic," she said formally as she flicked through Tsunade's charts, professionalism evident in her movements. "Eleven patients were sent to the hospital yesterday and fifty seven today. All of them seem to have major headaches and they had all thrown fits."

Ino, seeing that the doctor wasn't within sight anymore, said, "Sakura, you need to relax. We won't get fired—we're Tsunade-sama's apprentices, remember?" The blonde then took a look at the papers Sakura was holding. "Wow, I hope that this will become some kind of investigating mission. I haven't had one of those in almost three weeks. I'm think I'm almost starting to like it better when life was full of danger and surprises."

"You're right, we didn't have a mission for a while," Sakura noted with an air of disappointment. "Hm… I wonder what Tsunade-sama is up to now."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, there is a rumour that the land of lightning is planning its revenge is Konoha. I think I heard that there was a girl named Mi—" Sakura paused to think. "I forget… I think it's Mika or something."

Ino's eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Land of lightning… why does that seem so familiar?"

"Remember the Chuunin exams from a few years ago?" Sakura asked. "Neji-san explained that the Raikage had sent a ninja to find out their secret or something, then they lied." When she caught Ino's bewildered face, she waved it off with a hand. "Oh, it was _something_ along the lines of that."

"But they're only doing something _now_? Couldn't have they done something else years ago?" Ino questioned the girl before her. "And since when does Tsunade believe in rumours?"

"Since always," Sakura answered almost sardonically. "Like there was that time years ago where there was a rumour around the town, saying that there will be a war. Frantic, Tsunade had refused every mission offered by the other countries in order to ensure that all her ninjas would be present on the day of the 'war'. And it turned out to be nothing more than a prank. Remember that? You were there too. Then there was that time where—" She trailed off when she glanced at her watch. "Uh oh, it's ten o'clock. Time to give Tsunade the charts." Sakura paused, grimaced and added, "be careful though. Tsunade-sama's having one of her 'off' days."

"Okay," Ino said, nodding, but then turned her head to Amaya. "So who's going to tell them that visiting hours are over?"

Sakura gave a tired smile. "I will. Tsunade-sama wants her files in fifteen minutes. Meet us both at the entrance after you're done."

The blonde nodded. But she, despite knowing that Tsunade hated tardiness, stayed and watched as Sakura entered the room and broke the news to Amaya. The sad look that crossed the little girl's face didn't go unnoticed by Ino, who, after sighing in dismay, made her way down the empty hallway of Konoha hospital, wondering exactly why nature had to be so cruel.

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**A/N:** ahaha, i updated in a month! be so proud of me--I gave up my friday night to write my future chapters, haha. I just went shopping today, and I swear, my legs are gonna fall off. Review and make me feel better! Lmfaoo. Anyhow, next chapter is for Neji to find out everything!!

**So as for the storyline, I made it so that Neji beat Naruto at the Chuunin exams. So that means there was no change in Neji, no invasion of the sand, no Orochimaru, or any of the Sasuke retrieval stuff (that will make the story centred around him), nor Sai. Everybody will stay where they were before the Chuunin exams, as teams that just train and do missions.** I'll explain that further in the story.

And I have to give my thanks to my awesome beta Philyra. (I always forget to mention in author notes.. no wonder my mum always calls me an ungrateful child.) She has mad skills. Much thanks to her for putting up with me. And thanks to those who read my story! :)

Reviews are greatly appreciated.

Much love & yours truly,  
Chigiri Sasaki


	13. Chapter Thirteen: Denial

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything of Naruto.

**Destined to Love  
**_By: Chigiri Sasaki _

Summary: He was a prodigy, with a damaged past and no future. She was a commoner, with a hidden secret. Strung together by fate, it was only a matter of time before she changed his life forever. AU, NejiTen

**Chapter Thirteen**

Half lidded eyes stared into the pale blue ceiling, contemplating and recollecting thoughts and memories. The sunlight had stirred her into consciousness a while ago; the brisk wind of autumn greeted her through the open window above the bed. The cool, crisp air had long replaced the humid, moisture-laden ones of summer, she noticed vaguely. The brisk and refreshing breeze spread through the room, carrying faint traces of nostalgia along with it. Tenten inhaled deeply and sighed.

A week had already passed. Time passed so quickly it was unreal.

But, it was true; it had already been a week since she had first met Amaya, the little blonde girl who stayed at the Konoha hospital due to a serious case of brain tumours. After visiting every following day, Tenten learned many things about the little girl. Like her, Amaya was an orphan, and she had grown up in the orphanage until a couple decided to adopt her, and that was the reason as to why she was able to attend the Academy. Tenten had learned that the blonde's foster parents were the Tanakas, the owners of the largest medicinal store in Konoha. And then, when Amaya's foster dad visited her, Tenten instantly recognised him as the apothecary she met when she was trying desperately to find yarrow, a medicinal herb that was supposed to heal wounds exceptionally quickly.

She visited the hospital everyday, but she didn't visit the Hyuuga prodigy who, she was told, was in a critical condition. She had long ago decided that it was unnecessary to create any relations between him and her, since Neji had made it clear that he hated her. She only asked about him occasionally to Ino and Sakura, or even Hiashi whenever she saw him. All they said was that Neji had still not awakened after days in the hospital, so the brunette left it at that.

Tenten reluctantly got out of bed and changed quickly into the outfit Ino had provided for her. It consisted of a more feminine red top and formfitting black pants; it was a lot more suitable for working at the Yamanaka flower shop. Tenten worked there whenever Ino was busy working at the hospital; it was the least she could do, especially after Ino had given her food, shelter, and clothes without asking for anything in return.

She looked at the clock that hung in on the pale blue wall of Ino's room. It was almost noon—she roughly estimated she had enough time to eat something before she opened the flower shop. And once she did, she would have to simply stay there for seven hours, serving endless amounts of customers. The brunette didn't mind, however. Working with and meeting new people actually occupied a lot more of her thoughts and it brought her away from the lonely misery she would suffer if she hadn't been living with Ino.

Tenten quickly locked the door to the Yamanakas' house with the spare key Ino had given her some time ago. She headed towards the town's largest café; the same one where she had met up with her friends and where some wannabe thugs had stopped her. The memory seemed so vague yet still so clear to her; it was the kind that she had intentionally put behind in her mind, hoping that she would eventually forget it as time passed by. And normally she would've forgotten about it by now—it was simply the fact that Neji appeared that kept the piece of memory so clear. Tenten quickly shook off the feeling of discomfort and picked up her pace, promising herself that it was just hunger that caused her to think like that.

She heard her stomach growl as she finally arrived at the café's large glass entrance. She opened the door, and as the soft twinkling bell above her rung, a mouth-watering aroma of sweets and drinks filled her senses. Scrumptious was always known for their delicious scent.

But once Tenten saw the unbelievably long line of people and the equally long lines behind it, she instantly considered buying something to drink from a different restaurant. But she reluctantly decided against it and stood behind a line as she knew it would be an act of impatience and not because she wanted to be on time for work.

Deciding that time would pass by easily with mindless thoughts, Tenten tried to focus her mind on something else. Looking around, she noted absentmindedly that there were only three cashiers, but three alternating people were working at each one so that the process would be a lot quicker. Her hazel eyes wandered around some more, and then she finally began to notice how elegant the structure of the café was, how the walls were painted a soft brown, and how odd yet somehow calming abstract paintings were hung from them.

Tenten found herself admiring the way the café looked, somehow thinking that it would be the way she would decorate if she were to own a café restaurant. How had she not noticed how cosy and comfortable this place looked before? Realisation dawned on her and Tenten smiled slightly. Of course—last time she came here, she had been too busy occupying her thoughts about Neji and how stoic yet professional he looked sitting out in the patio.

"What would you like?"

Tenten was snapped out of her thoughts and was surprised by how quickly the people in front her had been served. "Green tea please," she ordered quickly, handing over the little money Ino had given her to use whenever she needed it. The lady at the counter nodded, took the money, and disappeared into the kitchen. She returned shortly with a hot steaming cup in her hands. "Enjoy!"

The brunette quickly thanked the cashier and, grabbing the hot mug in her hands, looked around for a place to sit in. Since her arrival the amount of customers had significantly increased—there were no available tables or seats left, even in the patio and the extended portion behind the café. Out of the corner of her eyes, Tenten noticed people taking their orders out the door and eating somewhere else.

"Tenten! Over here!"

The brunette swerved around towards the patio upon hearing her name, and realising who it was who called her, a smile spread across her face. She walked quickly towards the table, holding her cup steadily, careful not to spill any of its content out. "Hey Hinata!"

"Hello Tenten," the blue-haired Hyuuga heiress exclaimed softly, "it's been such a long time since I've seen you. How are you?"

"I'm great, thanks!" Tenten finally realised that the heiress was not alone. The brunette turned to the other two who were at the table and smiled. "And you guys are?"

"Inuzuka Kiba!" Cheerfulness made its way to the brunet's features as he grinned boyishly, scratching the white dog that he had in his arms. "And this is my dog and sidekick, Akamaru!" The dog instantly barked at the sound of its name.

"I'm Aburame Shino," the other boy announced as he gave her a curt nod, his voice quiet and reserved. He seemed to be affected a lot by the cold, Tenten thought as she subconsciously rubbed her warm drink, as his entire body was mostly covered by a hood as well as a long trench coat and he wore small circular sunglasses over his eyes. "We're Hinata's team-mates."

"It's nice to meet you, Shino and Kiba." Tenten gestured towards the last empty chair at their square table. "May I?"

Kiba was the first to answer. "Of course!"

The brunette smiled as she seated herself comfortably and set her tea on the small marble table. She felt a twinge of jealously looking at the three of them; although no one spoke, Tenten could feel an unbreakable bond that was formed over years of trust and training lingering over them. Tenten dropped her head and held the hot mug between her fingers, gazing into her own reflection.

"So how come I've never seen you before, Tenten?"

Tenten looked up upon hearing Kiba's words and automatically answered. "Oh, I lived near the forests down in the south of Konoha—I only came here because I'm tutoring Neji." It was such a natural response for her it simply rolled off her tongue; she didn't even have a chance to realise that she couldn't say that anymore. With a slight note of bitterness, she added, "well, tutor_ed_ Neji."

Kiba chuckled quietly. "Tough case?"

Tenten grinned. "Oh yeah. Why else do you think I'm not with him anymore?"

"Uh oh. What did he do now?"

"Well, let's just say he didn't want me there." She suddenly saw Hinata's apologetic face and titled her head questioningly. "What's wrong, Hinata?"

"Oh, I'm just so sorry I couldn't find your necklace, Tenten! I tried asking the maids, and they said that Mikya-san put it in your room, but I still couldn't find it there! Ino said that it means a lot to you, and I'm just so—"

"It's fine! Don't worry about it," the brunette assured quickly. She took a sip of her drink. "But don't you already know that there is no 'Mikya'? Didn't your father Hiashi-sama tell you that already?"

Hinata smiled slightly in spite of herself. "He did, actually. I guess that it's just a bad habit. Her real name is really Akira, and she's actually Neji's former team-mate."

Tenten's eyes flickered with surprise. "Really?"

The heiress nodded. "It's really shocking. Neji-nii-chan doesn't talk about her anymore, because he despises her. Before, she actually—" She bit her lip nervously and paused, and Tenten suddenly had a feeling that it was a topic that was not supposed to be mentioned. "So how do you know about this?"

Tenten decided to play along. "Oh, I saw Hiashi-sama at the hospital. How's Neji doing?"

"We don't know," Hinata replied truthfully, her voice soft. "When Father left this morning, he said that Neji-nii-chan was still unconscious."

"Hinata-san," a deep voice intoned, and both of the kunoichis turned to Hinata's team-mate who had not spoken the entire time. "We must go now. We have a mission and we are to meet at the entrance with Kurenai-sensei just about now."

"Oh." Hinata turned to Tenten and smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, we have to leave so soon."

"It's alright, I have to go work soon too."

"Tenten," Hinata said as she got up, "you know you're welcomed back at the Hyuugas. We're all sorry. We would love it if you'd come back."

"Thanks for the offer," the brunette said wholeheartedly, and stood up to give her friend a tight hug. "But it still doesn't change the fact that Neji doesn't."

Later on, after she bid farewell to her newly made friends, she pondered about her future as she was walking down the streets to the Yamanaka flower shop. It was something she would much rather avoid, but she was well aware of the fact that she would have to face it soon. Surely she would have to leave her friend Ino sometime, and once that day came, she would be left moneyless and helpless once again. But if Tenten were to work back at the Hyuugas, then she would be given enough money to live on until she found a proper, fulltime job. She was fully aware of this, so she didn't know why she didn't accept either of Hiashi's or Hinata's offer—she certainly didn't mind going back to live in the luxury and she was almost positive that she wouldn't have to endure everybody's disapproving glances anymore. So what was it that kept holding her back?

Tenten would never admit it, but the only offer and apology she would accept was the one of a certain Hyuuga prodigy.

* * *

Neji's eyelids felt unusually heavy as he struggled to lift them. The contrasting white ceiling of the familiar hospital met him as his eyes cracked open, the heavy smell of detergent from the bed sheets immediately filling his senses. There was a steady beeping coming from the equipment beside him that monitored his pulse, but other than that, the ward was completely silent. There was no reaction whatsoever on Neji's part; the hospital was no foreign place for a ninja such as himself.

Rustling of clothing was suddenly heard when a figure on Neji's left stood up. Upon reflex the sixteen year old prodigy tensed and tried to sit up, but he felt a slight sting at his chest and quit his attempt, now aware of the heavy layers of bandages that wrapped around his bare torso. He exhaled and let his eyelids drop. "Hiashi-sama."

"You're awake." There was relief in his voice as Hiashi approached the bed. When Tsunade came out of the surgery room with a reassuring smile, Hiashi wanted to stay with his nephew and wait until the sixteen year old awakened. However, due to his duties as a clan leader, he had no choice but to leave Neji for the majority of the time he laid unconscious.

"What time is it?" Neji asked, his voice still slightly hoarse.

"Noon."

Neji's gaze switched the window, where shafts of sunlight poured in. "How long have I been here?"

"A week," Hiashi replied thoughtfully. "You were healed a few days ago—once Tsunade extracted the poison from your body, your wounds healed exceptionally fast." His eyes darkened and his voice lowered. "So fast, it's strange."

Neji didn't respond, but by the way he opened his eyes Hiashi could tell what he said piqued his interest. "Whoever tried to kill you had the perfect chance to finish you off right then and there—there wouldn't have been a chance of you living even if I arrived there earlier. But he or she didn't."

"She."

The clan head frowned at the expressionless gaze Neji held before continuing. Didn't he have more to say than that? "She only punctured you, but the wound was not completely fatal. Did she actually want you to die? The way she grazed your heart slightly would have killed you if I found you a moment later, but at the same time, it wasn't completely fatal, either. It seemed as if she wanted to kill you, in order to complete her mission, but at the same time, there was something that pulled her back." His voice turned grave. "Was she really an enemy?"

"Yes, she was," Neji said quietly. "She's my former teammate."

"Akira? The one who betrayed Konoha for the land of lightning?" The realisation hit him and his eyes narrowed. "No wonder she was the representative."

"It makes sense. Akira's a prodigy that knows her way around the Hyuuga manor and Konoha. It's a major advantage on their part."

Grimness graced Hiashi's wrinkly features as he seated himself on the bed. "She killed the real Mikya in order to take her place. She saw her masquerade as a lord's daughter as an opportunity to get rid of Tenten as well. She is an exceptional kunoichi—one of the best."

"It doesn't matter how skilled she is. Her conniving nature and ruthlessness are qualities that aren't worth admiring."

Hiashi's eyes softened. "You're still attached to her."

"Don't assume such things," Neji hissed through gritted teeth.

"You're still bitter, then. By either her betrayal or Tenten's departure."

Neji's ivory eyes tightened and he averted his gaze to the closed window. "Please leave."

"You know, I spoke to Tenten earlier when you were in the Emergency room."

The prodigy's glance flitted to Hiashi for a second before returning back to the window, where he saw an elderly couple sitting on the benches, sharing a bowl of ramen. "And I suppose she's triumphant that I've falsely accused her."

Hiashi's eyes flickered with surprise. "No, Tenten's more concerned about you."

"Are you sure it isn't another way of begging for her job back?"

Hiashi frowned and his pale eyes narrowed. "Hyuuga Neji, Tenten is a well rounded, nice, caring young lady. You know she had done nothing to harm you yet you've accused her and chased her away. You're wrong and you're perfectly aware of that, yet you still think so lowly of her. How is it possible that you're so bitter towards her?"

Neji didn't reply and he never tore his gaze away from the window.

"I did offer Tenten her old job back, but she turned it down. You're lucky if you can even get her to speak to you now." The clan head stood up and straightened his Hyuuga robes. "Now, if you excuse me, I have other work to do." He strode to the door with his long traditional hair snapping behind him like the mane of a lion, not caring that the chair he had been sitting on had fallen when he abruptly got up. He walked until he was by the exit and, after taking one last glance at the ungrateful boy, slammed the door shut.

* * *

How is it possible that you're so bitter towards her?

The words spoken from the clan leader resonated in Neji's head repetitively.

Considering what Tenten had gone through for him, Neji had no right to disrespect her in any way, but the years and years he had spent training after his father's death changed him and permanently altered his personality. The shock and the alarm of seeing his father's dead body, so still and lifeless and unlike the role model he looked up to, sent him to the realms of insanity. The unfortunate event turned his world upside down and completely shattered the beautiful images and ambitions created by his naïve beliefs and his innocent dreams.

He didn't want to face anyone anymore; he trained day and night to distract himself from the pain and bitterness that ached his heart every night. But the distraction was only temporary; soon he was forced to face the hard reality, a darkness lurking in the corners of the world that he had once thought were beautiful. His ivory eyes lost their childlike innocence and they grew colder and harder as he learned about the tainted and corrupted nature in the world around him.

At the age of fourteen, shortly after Akira's betrayal, Neji locked himself up in his room for an entire day and refused to come out. He unbound the black piece of cloth that hid what he truly was and sat there, contemplating. And the more he thought, the more the young prodigy realised that he no longer wanted to belong in a disgusting, sickeningly sinful world that indulged the deceiving lies, the ugliness and people's naturally ill-minded intentions to harm and betray.

But committing suicide was not an option. No matter how much bitterness wrenched his heart every time the Hyuuga clan was mentioned, he still had the same ambitions and the same goals he had before his father died. Neji still wanted to live for the day where his skills and talent would surpass everybody's and where his curse mark would not be a factor anymore. But this time, he knew better—he decided to do everything on his own.

Neji eventually learned to depend on himself instead of others—others, as in the ones who were bound to leave him behind one day, abandoned, and never look back. Perhaps people like him were meant to walk down the road of life in solitude, wandering alone without any companions, carrying a heavy burden on their shoulders of an unbearable bitterness and sorrow that only they could understand.

No, Neji thought, there was another person.

There was another person in his world that understood the pain that he felt, and that was a certain brown-haired kunoichi. She, too, had to live with the absence of her parents and had to live alone. So why was _she_ able to act freely and joyfully when she was all alone? Did she compose a mask of fake happiness that fooled everybody, including him?

Neji closed his eyes and clutched the bed sheets. When _she_ left, he was better off to think that she was sinful and had committed a crime. That sole fact proved his theories about the people outside his clan. It reinforced the idea of what would happen if he trusted someone, even for the slightest bit.

But now, as he realised that she was innocent and he had falsely accused her, every trace of hatred he harboured towards the kunoichi dissipated as he felt inevitable guilt crawl up to his heart. And top of it all, she did care for him, even when he had blamed her, even when she wasn't continuing her job.

Tenten did care. And that affected him more than he'd ever admit.

* * *

"Why is Neji still resting here? He was perfectly healed yesterday—the most he could have felt was a little _sting_—but he was unconscious so we let him stay here. Now that he_ is_ conscious, why is he still here? And why do we have to stay with him?"

Ino nearly shouted the inquiries as she and Sakura stood outside Neji's fortunately soundproof hospital room. They were both ordered by the Hokage to stay with him until he decided to leave and, to both of their great dismay, he hadn't come out since he awoke this afternoon. It was near seven o'clock and Ino, being the one who lacked patience, found it rather unnerving to wait while there were other patients who needed to be taken care of. Her growing impatience was evident in her voice as she spoke. "See?" she cried, pointing to his charts, which indicated that Neji had, indeed, recovered completely. "There's nothing wrong with him! Perfect condition, perfect prodigy, perfect guy!"

Sakura laughed lightly. "Relax, Ino, Neji can take the time he needs. We follow Tsunade-sama's orders." She raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow. "And why so agitated? I thought you loved working at the hospital."

"I still do," the blonde corrected, "but it isn't fair. The hospital is crammed—Tsunade-sama forces five or six people into one room, just because they're a 'special' case, and then Neji, just cause he's a 'normal' case, he gets to stay in a room by himself!"

"Ino, you know that Tsunade-sama said that we cannot risk people who are here because of normal injuries to catch the epidemic that other people have."

"I know—it's funny how the people who recently came in with headaches are all in the west wing, where it's forbidden or used for emergencies, and Tsunade-sama attends all of them. And then, the patients without this disease are pushed into the east wing and we have to take care of them." The corners of her mouth uplifted slightly. "It's a mission, alright."

"But we probably wouldn't be able go anyways," Sakura remarked with a sigh. "We were specifically asked to stay back at the hospital to take care of the patients. And with this new epidemic going around, Tsunade-sama just works in that secret room all day…"

Worry flashed across Ino's face briefly. "Hey Sakura, you did remember to take the capsule before you came to the hospital, right?"

"Of course. Did you remember to tell Tenten and everybody else to do the same?"

The blonde nodded. "And not that I doubt Tsunade-sama's abilities," she said, uncertainty suddenly embedding itself into her voice, "but I hope these capsules will really do prevent us from getting infected."

"I know," Sakura agreed softly. "I wonder what Tsunade-sama's thinking now. I mean, if we're so prone to having this new disease, then why does she still let visitors in here and acts as if nothing's wrong?"

"Well, that's what the medicine are for. It protects us from the epidemic and endemic disease."

"Obviously," the pink-haired kunoichi said, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "But I'm just wondering what Tsunade-sama's thinking. It's not normal for her to act like this, putting anybody in danger—no matter how effective the prevention might be, she still wouldn't put her people at risk. But by still opening visitor hours, it's as if she wants people to visit their loved ones. It's as if…" Her voice lowered. "It's as if it would be their last chance."

A frown marred the straight line of Ino's lips. "Like how Tenten is visiting Amaya…"

"Exactly. So I wondering how serious this new epidemic really is… A quarter of Konoha's citizens are locked up in the hospital right now due to this epidemic. It's a good thing that our hospitals are much larger, since ninjas get hurt all the time—"

"Sakura," Ino suddenly interposed, "what are you trying to get to?"

"Well," the green-eyed girl replied, "lately, I've been thinking about this new disease. After looking at the charts, I discovered that Amaya is the first one to be affected by it."

"And?"

"And I have a theory now." When Sakura caught sight of the confusion in her friend's eyes, she made a noise that was torn between frustration and irritation. "Ino, when was Amaya first diagnosed with this brain tumour?"

"She came in a few weeks ago. At first, she had brain tumours, but then we started noticing the strange ways it reacted inside her," the blonde answered promptly.

"Right. So Amaya came in first, and then her foster parents came in a week later. Then, many other patients started to come in with the exact symptoms. Who are Amaya's parents—her foster parents?"

"The Tanakas. Tanaka-san owns the best and largest collection of medicinal herbs in Konoha."

"Correct. And they were both in the hospital a week after Amaya arrived. They all had the same symptoms—a horrible headache, tendency to throw a tantrum, and when we examined their x-rays we saw a small, moving blob in their brains."

Realisation finally dawned on Ino and her cerulean eyes widened slightly. "The medicinal herbs… something's in it."

"Exactly," Sakura concluded. Her face turned thoughtful. "But I doubt that it's the Tanakas' fault. Their store receives stocks from people outside Konoha, which can only mean…"

"Someone's after Konoha," the blonde finished. She smiled solemnly. "I don't know whether I should be excited for the mission or sad that there are so many patients dying."

The pink-haired kunoichi grinned half-heartedly in return. "I know what you mean. Let's just hope that Tsunade-sama will find a cure—"

Both the kunoichis silenced and turned when the door leading to Neji's room suddenly slid open. The Hyuuga prodigy appeared quickly in the hallway, his broad frame towering over their slender ones as he approached them. The layers of blood-soaked bandages were the only thing that covered his otherwise bare chest, and his long hair was tousled from sleeping. But either girls dared to say anything after meeting his eyes—his powerful, all-knowing, piercing eyes.

"N-neji-san," Ino stuttered at last. "You're not feeling pain anymore? Here, I can call a doctor if you want—"

"I don't care," he grunted. He gazed down at both of them, his trained ivory eyes glancing from one kunoichi to another, scrutinising their eyes and facial expressions as if he was trying to decipher their thoughts.

"What's wrong, then?"

He ran his hand through his tousled hair and sighed. "Where's Tenten?"

* * *

"Thank you, sir. Have a wonderful day."

Tenten watched the customer walk away with a large bouquet in his arms and she, once he was out the door, sat back down onto the chair behind the counter and sighed. She was exhausted—it was seven o'clock at night and she had been working since noon. There was just half an hour left until closing, but Tenten felt as if her legs would give way if she stood up once more. She wanted to simply flip the Open sign and leave, but Tenten promised Ino that she would take care of the flower shop while the blonde was gone working at the hospital. And despite the fact that Ino's parents returned from their honeymoon for a week, they weren't much help. Ino's father was currently out with his friends, and the blonde's mother would often be at the Yamanaka house preparing dinner or doing housework.

But thankfully, Ino's mother did take some shifts to lighten the burden on Tenten's shoulders. And during those few hours, the brunette would either get herself something to eat—but it was unnecessary, considering Ino's mother would always provide her with food—or she would go to the hospital and visit her newly made friend Amaya. Tenten wanted to spend as much as she could with the little girl because the brunette knew how little time she had left to live. Tenten wanted to make Amaya's last days more memorable, as she knew how awful it felt to be alone.

She suddenly heard the jingle the little bell above the door emitted as a couple entered the store. Tenten quickly composed herself, roughly smoothing out the wrinkles she had in her apron from sitting and smiled brightly. "Hi! Welcome to the Yamanaka flower shop."

"Hello there," the elegant red-haired woman said. "What would be a good choice to send to my newborn niece? She's still in the hospital with her mother and we plan to visit them now."

Tenten, who had been forced to study flowers, answered expertly. "Lily flowers would be good—the scarlet ones mean aspiration and the white ones represent purity." She gestured towards the said flowers on the left. "Daisies signify innocence, and dahlias marks elegance and dignity. And, there is the popular choice of cherry blossoms, which usually means intelligence or life. Any of these choices would be great for newborns."

The woman who appeared to be in her mid-twenties seemed to be impressed as she paused to think. Suddenly, her emerald green eyes lit up and she pointed eagerly to the large variety of roses. "What about roses? I know my sister loves them."

"There are a lot shades and colours, and each of them have a different meaning. What kind of significance would you like in particular?"

"Something that means happiness and joy."

"Well then," Tenten suggested, "you would probably want red and yellow roses together. How does a bouquet of two dozen sound?"

The woman and the man smiled in unison. "Lovely."

Tenten grinned briefly and headed towards the shelf and picked out two dozen near perfect white and yellow roses. The Yamanaka flower shop was the most popular flower shop in all of Konoha—that was the only reason why they had no trouble selling the new batches of fresh flowers that were delivered daily. Before she worked here, Tenten had doubts about the sales they made and how they were able to survive solely on the money earned from this relatively small store. But considering the amount of ninjas that end up in the hospital or in a funeral, the daily births, and the people that bought flowers for them, Tenten was blown away by the cash that practically flowed in.

She headed towards back to the counter with the roses in her hand, careful not to prick her fingers with the thorns like she had done many times before. She spread out three papers that were coloured in different shades of purple, placed the roses accordingly, and wrapped the flowers in one swift movement. Just as she was securing the bow, she heard the bell from the door ring once more. "Hi," she said automatically, not even looking up, "welcome to the Yamanaka flower shop."

"Tenten."

The voice made her freeze and the brunette instantly dropped the bow she was holding. Her chest tightened the moment her name, spoken in a velvety voice, reached her ears; it seemed so unnaturally quiet yet deafening at the same time. She hadn't heard his voice for a long time, but she knew she would be able to recognise it anywhere.

Anxiety filled her as she looked up into those beautiful moonlight eyes.

-

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-

-

**A/N:** Dun dun dunnn. Finally, Tenten will be back in Neji's life! Phew, I thought I would never get to this point, hahaha. But yeah, there will be more chapters coming soon! I'm on a rooollll! Next chapter will be Nejiten quality time together 33 . And okay, just to clarify stuff, I kept the ending of the story that Tenten's supposed to tell Amaya out for a reason.

So show some love and review please, peoples. They're the things that keep me stuck on the computer trying to squeeze something outta my brain. (whoa… okay, bad mental picture there, LOL.)

Well, thanks Philyra for editing, and thank you for reading! Peace and love!

Nuff' luv',  
Chigiri Sasaki


	14. Chapter Fourteen: Surprise

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything of Naruto.

**Destined to Love  
**_By: Chigiri Sasaki _

Summary: He was a prodigy, with a damaged past and no future. She was a commoner, with a hidden secret. Strung together by fate, it was only a matter of time before she changed his life forever. AU, NejiTen

**Chapter Fourteen**

"I'm sorry," he blurted.

This took Tenten by surprise.

Everything seemed to happen in a blur; much too quickly for her mind to comprehend. The last thing she remembered was working at the flower shop just five minutes ago, serving customers and planning to work until seven thirty. Ever since she stayed with the Yamanakas, it seemed as though she had a whole different life. She would wake up, eat breakfast, work, go to the hospital to meet up with Sakura and Ino, and then eat dinner afterwards. It had happened like this for quite some time now. It seemed surreal that she would get a dose of her life with the Hyuugas—not that she stayed in either places for long, but it was still considerably unbelievable.

She couldn't get around the fact that Hyuuga Neji had just apologised to her. She knew she wasn't appreciated and she honestly couldn't blame him for thinking that she was a nuisance, as she kept bothering him for her job. But she decided long ago that she wouldn't treat her befriending Neji as a task if she were ever to see him again—she honestly wanted to be friends with him. She wanted to figure this mysterious boy out.

But now he was here. Over a dozen unanswered questions roamed in her mind. Why was he apologising? Did he figure out the truth behind the entire incident? Did he come here on his free will, or was he sent by someone?

After recollecting so many thoughts, and thinking how ridiculous and unlikely it was of Neji to find her, Tenten wondered if she really did hear Hyuuga Neji apologise. Maybe she just hallucinated it all. After all, Ino and Sakura did say that she tended to tune out a lot.

The brunette blinked a couple of times, finally breaking out of her trance. "I'm sorry, but what did you just say?"

"I just apologised," Neji replied calmly, but she could spot the beginning of impatience in his eyes. Normally, she would be more than thrilled to tease Neji in such a composed state, but things were different now. After all this time, the period of her life with the Hyuugas seemed like a distant memory—almost unreal, now that she thought about the luxury she bathed herself in.

"I learned that I've falsely accused you," Neji explained when she didn't reply. And then, in a low voice, he muttered something so low and so quick the brunette couldn't quite catch.

She finally found her voice. "So you came here to apologise because…?"

"I'm mean, not illogical."

Tenten let out a breathless laugh. "So," she said awkwardly, after a silence, switching her weight from foot to foot. "Does that mean I get my job back?"

He aligned his gaze with hers, and she could see the coldness again. "Didn't my uncle offer?"

The brunette exhaled a breath as she stared at him in disbelief. "Yes, but can I hear it from you?"

"Why would you care if I offered on not?"

"Neji, can you actually think of me wanting to be friends with you, instead of something that your clan sent?" Her tone lost its edge and she sighed softly. "I honestly don't know what happened to you and what led you to be this cold, but you have to—_please_, just think differently for once. If I really wanted the money, then I would've accepted Hiashi-sama and Hinata's offers a long time ago. But I didn't, because all I want to hear is that you want me to be there."

It seemed like forever, waiting for his response. Tenten had no idea what was going through his mind—his eyes filled with simple, utter confusion for a moment before they quickly returned back to their composed state. All he seemed to be able to do was to stare at her, like he was doing now, only half of an arm's length of distance between them.

"Why," he finally asked, "would my opinion affect your decision? What difference would it make?"

Her tone made it seem as if the answer was obvious. "Because I want to be your friend?"

Neji simply continued to gaze intently at her, as if he was unsatisfied with her response. Tenten's eyebrows furrowed in puzzlement. That was the correct answer, wasn't it?

She squirmed slightly under his rather frightening stare. She tore her gaze away from his and forced her eyes to focus on something else—anything but him. She didn't know why the situation felt a little more awkward than the ones that she had with all the other guy friends she had met. Surely Neji wasn't anything special…

Tenten forced her mind off the subject. It was a ridiculous thing to think—obviously, it would be slightly awkward reuniting with somebody she hadn't seen in a while. She convinced herself successfully, and finally looking around the empty shop, she noticed that there was something strange at last.

Why weren't there any customers? On average, there was only a gap of a minute between each customer.

Tenten looked out the glass door and windows and gasped. There were customers, but they were waiting outside; a certain blonde blocked the door, spreading her arms, herding the people out of the store. Tenten couldn't see her expression, but the people she was holding back appeared to be more and more annoyed.

"Ino!" Tenten exclaimed as she opened the door. "What are you _doing_?"

"Oh, I just told them to wait while you and Neji talk." She ushered the older girl towards the Hyuuga prodigy, who had an eyebrow raised at the commotion. "Go on, you go get your job back and kick some butt. Oh, and tell Neji that he needs to see Tsunade-sama in a week to make sure that everything's okay. And he needs to rest until then, so no training—" She suddenly turned to the people who tapped her shoulder. "I said _wait_! I already promised you a discount, didn't I?"

Tenten refrained from laughing when the crowd suddenly quieted; only Ino would be able to manipulate people like that.

"So as I was saying, Neji can't train, even though he's pretty much healed. And oh, if you do get your job back, don't worry about the flower shop. I'm sure my mummy will take care of it."

Ino knew about Tenten's life crisis and she cared deeply for her friend; it wasn't pity that made her offer lodgement to the brunette. Tenten felt a surge of gratitude for her. "Oh, thank you so much, Ino! You're such a great friend. I don't know how to repay you!"

"It's fine, Tenten. You're helping us so much too!" Ino's cerulean eyes suddenly watered and she threw her arms around the brunette. "Oh, I'm going to miss you so much Tenten!"

Tenten hugged her friend tightly. "I'll miss you too! But it's not like I'm going to move away—you're such a drama queen, Ino."

The blonde giggled and pulled back. "Yeah, but just don't forget me when you become one of them Hyuugas."

"Eh?"

Tenten didn't even have time to receive her answer, as Ino swerved around swiftly and began jogging back towards the hospital. "You can keep the outfit!" she called loudly over her shoulder, and then she broke out into a full sprint.

Tenten watched the blonde disappear with a smile. The brunette had grown to be very fond of the bubbly blonde. Although she tended to be a bit too much sometimes, she was a true friend. In fact, she was Tenten's second friend, the first real one being Hinata. But without Ino, Tenten wouldn't have known what to do; she would have had nothing to eat and nowhere to stay. And on top of it all, she wouldn't have met all these other great people, such as Sakura, or any of the people from the village.

The sixteen year old brunette turned to look at the shop, which was now full of customers. She couldn't see Neji. She felt a pang of disappointment—did he already leave? Taking a deep breath and ignoring the throb in her legs, she went in, ready to work for the last twenty minutes in the flower shop.

A young couple instantly went up to her when she entered. The black-haired woman pointed at a sale sign. "Your friend there, the owner's daughter, she gave me a discount. Does it apply to the sales as well?"

"I guess it does."

"Then we'll have three dozen of those gorgeous lilies," the woman said, smiling.

Tenten nodded. "Sure, but wait. I'll be back in a second." She didn't want to deal with them just yet; she was wondering if Neji stayed. She knew he hated any kind of loud commotion—chances were that he was outside, somewhere far away. She didn't even know if he let her have her job back; he was probably gone now, she thought. However, it was expected. Did she actually expect him to be all friendly with her just because he apologised?

The brunette instantly accepted that then, as she had done with every other sad aspect of her life. She never had her hopes up high.

So then why did her heart suddenly skip a few beats when she saw him sitting by the counter?

He was really there, sitting on the stool that Tenten often used when she was changing the signs that were too high for her reach. He was still, even when some girls who Tenten guessed to be fans tried talking to him. Tenten walked towards him cautiously, almost afraid that if she approached him too fast she would scare him away.

"N-neji," she said, breathless. "What are you doing?"

His eyes were closed and his lips were set in a straight line, but when he replied, his voice held more warmth than she had ever remembered.

"Waiting for you."

* * *

The walk back to the Hyuuga mansion was silent. There wasn't an uncomfortable tension lingering, though: Neji preferred the silence and Tenten was too occupied with her joyous thoughts. She couldn't help smiling; the thought of finally getting back onto her life and maybe actually having enough money made her more than ecstatic. Best of all, she finally proved herself to be somebody that truly didn't mean any harm. Maybe she would finally get approval from the Hyuuga clan.

The incredulity of the last thought made her grin widen, and a laugh escape her throat. She barely noticed that Neji was watching her the entire time.

"Why are you smiling so much?" he asked suddenly.

"Oh, I don't know. Just happy that I'm finally back. Kind of nostalgic, don't you think?"

That was the end of the conversation; each lapsed back into whatever they were doing. By the time the Hyuuga manor was in view, the sky was almost dark, the little beam of light peeking in between the houses on the west. Nostalgia washed over the sixteen year old brunette nearing the large mansion, and she suddenly felt as if she was entering for the first time. There was still the excitement from the day of her arrival.

She walked past the gates and everything was just as beautiful and rich looking as before; the gardens were decorated beautifully, despite the fact that the flowers were starting to wilt due to changing of seasons. The leaves of the trees were now auburn and orangey, and the stone pathway that led to the backyard was as immaculate as ever. Tenten knew her memories didn't do the place justice.

She followed Neji up the steps, where two Hyuuga guards greeted them and politely opened the door. Tenten stepped into the large place and gasped.

She didn't recognise the long hallway. Instead of meeting a large empty place that would echo her footsteps when she walked, there were at least thirty people standing there, Hiashi standing in front. All of them, excluding the Hyuuga leader and the one or two mothers, were young, most of them being children who were around Hanabi's age. They were all talking among themselves. And then, as if they all realised that Neji and Tenten entered, they all fell quiet and turned to look at the two.

"Welcome back Tenten," Hiashi said and then, as if on cue, the young children and everybody who were gathered there began to clap. There were no cheers or hollering of any kind—just simple applause with polite smiles on everybody's faces.

For a moment, Tenten didn't know what to say. And from Neji's frozen expression, she could tell that he was just as speechless.

"I…" she finally started. She smiled genuinely. "Thank you, Hiashi-sama, everybody. This means so much to me." Then her voice turned thoughtful and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Wait, Hiashi-sama, how did you know I would be here? Did you tell Neji to bring me back?"

Hiashi shook his head and a gracious smile appeared on his lips. "No, I didn't. I talked to him, though." He eyed his nephew for a moment, who seemed a bit puzzled himself. "I knew Neji would do the right thing and ask you to return."

"Yes, I'm sure Neji would have," she said, hiding her sarcasm carefully, "but you really didn't have to do all this… all these people you gathered are here to welcome _me_?" She sounded touched, and her voice became slightly thick. "I… I don't know what to say."

As the conversation wasn't enough to capture attention, the Hyuuga children started talking among themselves again. A few babies began wailing at the sudden buzz, and then their cries were followed by their mothers' coos and chants in attempts to make them stop crying. Some little children were already sparring as if they were in a match, and there was even another little kid who was playing as the referee. Some girls were showing off their gracefulness in their techniques, while the toddlers began drawing at the table. There were teenagers as well, but they all stood there motionlessly, probably having no idea of what to do.

Tenten couldn't help but gawk at the scene; she met a few Hyuugas who were younger than her before, and they were much more serious. So the children's behaviour today didn't match the ostentatious image of the Hyuuga clan. They were more playful and carefree—maybe, the brunette thought, the childish tendencies from the other normal kids at the academy finally rubbed off. Or maybe it was because there were no parents to herd them today.

Tenten suddenly wondered. Was Neji like this as a kid? And if he was, what happened?

"You don't have to thank me," Hiashi was saying. "I simply wanted to make you feel as welcome as possible. I'm trying to make up for the last time you were here. The last time… our family didn't leave you with a good impression, did they?"

Neji made a sound that was torn between a snort and a scoff. Hiashi couldn't hear over the buzz of children's voices, but Tenten caught it and she bit her lip in order to suppress her giggles.

"Well," Hiashi continued, "I think somebody wants to say anything." Hiashi stepped aside and behind him was a young girl. Tenten instantly recognised her as Hinata's younger sister Hanabi. The young girl looked at her father unwillingly, but with a gentle push from him she stumbled forward.

"Hi," Hanabi said, almost grudgingly. "Tenten-nee-chan, I'm sorry for what I've done. I regret calling you someone who would take our money and"—she peered down at her hand, where black words were written all over—"tripping you into a plate of food. I'll never do it again. I hope you'll forgive me." She turned to her father's direction, who gave her a little approving nod. Tenten suppressed a laugh.

"Sure, Hanabi."

Hanabi managed a small smile and she and her father left, disappearing into the tiny crowd of children. A bunch of other younger kids came up to her as well, apologising for thinking that she wasn't a good person. Tenten hid her irritation and smiled. What did their parents say about her behind her back? Speaking of which, she thought, looking up, none of the elders and few parents were here. They probably disapproved of her returning, but let their kids have their fun.

"Mummy doesn't like you very much," a little girl who was called Hana said. "But I like you very much!"

Tenten smiled as she bent down to talk to the little girl. "I like you too! Let's just hope that your mummy will change her mind."

Hana nodded avidly and left. Tenten stood up again, overwhelmed by the attention she was receiving. It didn't make much sense; these were the children of the people who ignored her during her stay. How could these children have such big hearts when their parents were so cold, hardworking, and calculating?

"Hello."

The voice, soft and velvety, yet masculine and full of authority, belonged to a Hyuuga that was no more than a few years older than Tenten. The brunette turned and saw a ridiculously handsome boy. He had the impeccably beautiful Hyuuga eyes, lined with a set of dark eyelashes. His skin was pale yet smooth and unscarred. He had a strong, square jaw line, a perfectly angular nose, and just about the most perfect lips.

"Hello there," the devastatingly beautiful boy said, his voice light and amused. "Sorry, I haven't properly introduced myself before. My name is Hiro. Hyuuga Hiro." He shook her hand formaly, taking her small hand into his warm one. "Tenten, right?"

The brunette could only nod.

"It's a shame we didn't meet each other earlier," he continued in his soft, soothing voice. "I live on the other end of the mansion and I sit in a different room at dinner. I'm mostly away at missions, anyways." He chuckled. "Although I was there the first day you arrived. Quite entertaining, actually."

Tenten's eyebrows furrowed, trying to recall what she did the first night she arrived. Immediately, the memories of her dressing up in the wrong way and Hanabi tripping her flooded her mind and her cheeks coloured. "That was embarrassing," she muttered. "And I nearly forgot about it."

"Don't worry, I thought you were beautiful."

Tenten felt her heart flutter looking into his light, teasing eyes. "You're quite the flatterer," she said, laughing. "What are you, a ladies' man?"

The ends of his lips quirked into a smirk. "If you think I am, then I must be good."

Tenten couldn't help but giggle again, feeling warmth flooding her cheeks. She was grateful that Hiro was tall enough that he couldn't see her blushing when she looked down. Suddenly, her view was blocked when somebody stepped in front of her. She found the tall frame and the white clothing surprisingly familiar—it was almost like déjà vu all over again.

She looked up to see Neji's frightening eyes.

But they weren't looking at her; rather, they were looking up ahead, and Tenten suddenly realised that he was glaring at Hiro.

"Hiro-san," Neji acknowledged, his voice calm and polite. It didn't quite match his eyes.

"Ah, Neji! I was just speaking to your lovely tutor. How come you've never told me about her?"

Neji's voice hardened, just for the slightest bit. "I'm not allowed in your territory."

"Ah, yes, but yet you sleep in the same territory as the rest of the head family."

"That's because Hiashi-sama put me there. The rest of the elders don't approve."

Tenten didn't realise that they were still talking above her head, leaning in slightly as if protective of her. Her eyebrows were furrowed in confusion, wondering what Neji had just said. What did he mean, by he wasn't allowed in the head family? And why did Neji always refer to people with a termination?

She looked up and saw both of them, continuing to talk in hushed, slightly angry whispers. She realised how much they resembled each other; if she didn't know any better, she would think that they were identical twins. The only difference between them were their clothes and their height differences; Neji was tall, but he didn't seem to have reached his full potential. Hiro towered over the young sixteen year old by half a head.

She suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. She spun around to see the shy Hyuuga heiress, whose attention was now focused on Hiro and Neji. "U-um… W-well, it's g-getting late now, we should all g-go and eat now. I'm s-sure all the kids are hungry n-now."

Neji was the first to look away, and with a slight scowl, followed Tenten and Hinata to the dining room.

* * *

  
Tenten sighed contentedly, staring at her reflection.

It was late at night, and the brunette was now sitting on the desk in her room. She had already showered and changed into her night gown, her hairstyle being the only thing she didn't undo yet; she was too busy admiring a gift on her. It was thin, silver chain suspending a tiny yet beautiful emerald pendant. Hiro had given it to her during dinner. She loved it. It was simple, thoughtful, and something that she would be able to wear all the time. Thinking about his smile, Tenten couldn't help but feel the warmth spread through her face.

She gingerly fingered the rest of her 'welcome back' gifts. They were all small, nothing like the gift Hiro had bought. Most of the children made homemade cards—most of the words were barely readable in messy scrawls, but Tenten loved them all the same. There were some bracelets made out of string, hair ties, and even a few drawings. Hinata had gotten her an expensive looking and beautiful kimono; at first, Tenten refused it, but Hinata insisted that it was nothing, since she didn't know how to spend her money. So Tenten smiled and hugged her friend tightly.

Although enjoyable, the brunette was glad that the night was over. She was exhausted. Hiashi had actually organised an extra room for her to eat in, with all the food of her choice. All the Hyuugas that were around her age or younger were with her, more talkative and animated than usual. The elders were not there with them, and were probably just as disapproving as the parents of the adolescent group. Tenten asked Hiashi about this, and he simply replied that they didn't have anything against her—they just didn't trust a person outside the clan.

That bothered her slightly, but other than that, Tenten was at ease. She learned a bit about everybody and learned that the only reason why they didn't come and talk to her was because their parents disapproved of it. And when they found out the real reason for Tenten's departure, they wanted to go and apologise to her on the clan's behalf, but as expected, the elders held them back. But they said they regretted not hanging out with her earlier because she was a great person and nobody should have judged her. Then Hiro told her he agreed completely, and that Neji was lucky that she was his peer tutor.

The brunette laughed at that, feeling warmer than she ever remembered. But the thing that made her smile the most was the look on Neji's face—for he, too, was there. He sat in the corner, as far away from the commotion as possible. But although he frowned, and his eyebrows were always furrowed in irritation, she could tell that he wasn't being completely unreasonable. She was lucky he was there in the first place; for all she knew, he could have been in his room, studying or even outside taking a walk.

Tenten smiled a little. Maybe her leaving the Hyuugas for a little while was actually a blessing in disguise. She didn't think it was such a bad thing if she suffered a little before, as long as Neji finally felt some kind of human emotion. He seemed a bit overwhelmed by guilt—or, perhaps even shock—that he made a mistake, considering that he was an elite ninja. But either way, he was still being slightly more considerate around her and seemed to be treating her as somewhat of an equal.

And while this happened, she was able to get closer to Ino and Sakura—and even young Amaya. Tenten met a lot of wonderful people as well and was surprised at how warmly they welcomed her and how they accepted her so easily. She was almost starting to enjoy Konoha and all of its people. She almost believed that she wasn't alone anymore.

But there was still just one question that bothered Tenten about the entire 'Mikya' incident. She knew that Mikya was actually dead and Neji's old team-mate replaced her, but what were her intentions? The last time she asked Hiashi, he didn't answer, and Hinata didn't seem so open about the topic either.

Maybe she would be able to get the answer out of Neji. After all, it was her job to learn more about him. And today, he was a lot nicer than she had ever seen him. He apologised, gave her job back, and even waited for her so he could bring her back to the clan. Maybe he finally learned to be more considerate.

She touched her gifts thoughtfully.

Or, maybe, like the little gathering Hiashi organised for her today, Hiashi ordered Neji to be nice to her. Surely Neji would be obliged to follow the leader's orders. But giving her job back was an entirely different matter. Why would he sacrifice his privacy and solitude like that?

Tenten pursed her lips, her eyes thoughtful. She had a sudden urge to talk to Neji now, to find out what he was thinking. To her, Neji was a bit like an enigma, something that nobody could figure out. Everything about him was contradictory. He was frightening, yet there was this odd, elegant beauty to his eyes. He wanted to be understood, yet he was reserved. He cared for his health, but he trained vigorously. And he clearly didn't make his distaste for her a secret, yet he accepted her back into his life.

The brunette got up and went into the hallway, heading towards Neji's room. It was right across from hers, and with a small smile, she remembered her reaction when she first found out about this little fact. She shook her head, remembering her goal, and placed her slender fingers onto the handle of his door. But another sudden thought made her stop in her tracks.

Would he allow her into his room?

Tenten remembered the last time she was here—deliberately skipping over the parts where Mikya pushed her and where Neji insulted her—and recalled the way the Hyuuga prodigy acted when she entered his room. He didn't do anything then, even though Hinata said that nobody intruded upon his privacy.

Tenten shook her head. It didn't matter. She brushed away the feelings of anxiety and replaced them with courage and determination. She was back on her job now; she had to continue from where she had left off. So she took a deep breath and quietly went into his room, closing the door behind her.

Neji was already tucked in his clean, white bed sheets, his hands placed across his stomach. He was looking up at the ceiling—he didn't even glance at her, as though he already knew that it would be her the moment his door slid open. He was breathing evenly. He was trying to not be rude and order her to leave, but he wanted to sleep; he hadn't felt so well during the past week, lying in the hospital and eating their bland and tasteless food. Although he had been unconscious most of the time, he wasn't actually peacefully sleeping. It was rather uncomfortable, now that he thought about it. It was more like somebody was pushing him deep in the cold, dark waters, trying to drown him.

Heavy silence filled the air. Neji eventually shut his eyes; maybe she would get the message and leave.

But Tenten stayed and went to the foot of his bed, standing somewhat shyly. "This won't be long, I promise," she said quickly. "I just need to get this off my back. It doesn't seem right if I don't thank you."

He sighed quietly and opened his eyes. "For what?"

"Well… I want to thank you for coming to apologise to me. And for giving my job back." She looked at the Hyuuga prodigy, expectant, but he didn't say anything. She scratched the back of her neck awkwardly, feeling her face beginning to flame with embarrassment.

"Are you going to say anything?" she said at last.

A sigh was heard from him again, and Neji finally sat up to look at her. Just one look at him told her that he really needed to rest—it wasn't just the healing process that drained the energy from him. It seemed as if all the sleepless nights he had before in order to train was finally taking its toll on his sixteen year old body. Or, Tenten thought, he was simply exhausted from putting a lot of effort in being civilised enough to say sorry to her. She almost smiled at that thought, but decided against it when his tired eyes looked directly at her. She could almost see the pain and agony in them.

"I apologised because it was the right thing to do," he said, and Tenten was taken back from his weary tone. "I admit that I made a mistake."

"So that's why you gave me my job back?"

"I didn't _offer_ your job back," he corrected coldly, his voice now curt and impassive. "You were the one who asked for it, and I told you what Hiashi-sama would have wanted me to say."

"Oh."

Tenten felt a pang of something torn between disappoint and hurt, but she pushed it away altogether. After all, she thought, it _was_ Neji—his coldness and rude remarks were inevitable. She took a deep breath. "Well… I guess that's it. Thanks anyway." She smiled at him affectionately and headed out the door. "Goodnight, Neji."

* * *

  
The brisk, refreshing breeze spread through the small training ground; autumn had made its presence known through the changes of the colour of the scattered leaves on the ground, adding small puddles of auburn and flaming red hues to their edges. Neji stood under the large cherry blossom tree that extended out its nearly leafless branches in a form of an umbrella, hardly shielding him from the gentle showers of white sunlight.

It was noon, with the sun shining at its peak. But it wasn't as merciless and bright before, Neji noticed as he gazed up into the sky, his Byakugan activated. The rays were much gentler and dimmer than those of summer—it was almost sadder in a way.

Moments later Neji figured that the gloomy feeling that the tree brought was expected—after all, he stood here exactly twelve years ago. It was only a few weeks after his cousin Hinata's third birthday—as well as his undergoing the process of the curse seal, when he and his father were training as usual in this area. During that fateful day, Neji noticed that Hizashi was rather preoccupied, or distracted. But since the prodigy was only four, he shrugged it off without a second thought and continued to spar.

That was, until Hizashi suddenly left. Young Neji didn't think much about it and simply stood under the growing tree, awaiting for his father's return.

But he never came.

Returning back to reality, the Hyuuga prodigy shook off the flashback and looked at the place with slight disdain. He didn't train here anymore. He had long ago moved on from small battlegrounds; ever since he graduated from the Academy, he used the wide open fields, as unleashing his powers here would cause more damage than the grounds could take. And training here would simply bring back too many memories that were better to be left alone, untouched and forgotten—like an old, abandoned brownish photograph, fading away around the edges as time battered it. He didn't want to remember it. He wanted them to be forgotten, but he knew it was a burden he must carry on for the rest of his life.

He didn't know why he came here in the first place, especially while he could be resting or practicing in his current training area for a future tournament.

Maybe, he thought, his four year old self still resided within him and there would always be the occasional time where he would think that he could come here and find his father with a warm smile gracing his wrinkly features.

"Neji!"

It was only then that the sound of his name hauled him back into the reality. Deactivating his Byakugan, he turned to the direction of the approaching footsteps that reverberated in the air. And there he saw her, right beside him, her hand pushing against the tree, a big smile on her lips as her eyes looked happily into his. "There you are, Neji!"

Neji gazed down at Tenten with fascination, unable to speak. He was suddenly captivated by everything about her; the way her brilliant set of pearly teeth contrasted with her skin when she smiled, the way strands of her chestnut hair glowed like golden threads of the finest silk. Then their visions aligned and he saw those familiar warm brown eyes once again, so full of emotion and ability to shine dazzlingly even in the dimmest sunlight.

And for that briefest moment, Neji almost believed that she could be the light that would shine through his darkened world. Perhaps, he thought faintly, he would be able to find happiness with her. Perhaps…

Perhaps she could teach him to love again.

"You're not supposed be training," Tenten said, and he heard the nostalgic smile in her voice. "A week, remember?"

He tore his gaze away from her and stared up into the sky, reactivating his Byakugan. "I didn't come here to train."

Tenten tilted her head questioningly, as she knew what Neji used his infamous bloodline limit for, but was unable to frame a coherent question looking at the serenity he held for once. His face was unusually pale under the illuminating rays of the sun; it highlighted his sharp profile, casting a faint glow over his features, adding tints of silvery and white. His eyes, his eyebrows and his lips were relaxed—even the veins that rippled across his skin didn't seem so frightening anymore. He looked like a marble statue to Tenten—a calm, beautiful, stunning piece of artwork that was only meant to be handled with the gentlest care.

"How many?" he murmured.

Startled by his quiet voice, Tenten broke out of her trance and after a moment of thought, followed his gaze. Several dark coloured birds soared in the clear, blue, boundless sky, and she counted them, figuring that that was what he was asking about. "Eight," she replied, just as softly.

"Always missing that same one," he muttered quietly, more to himself than to her.

"What do you mean?"

Neji instantly froze, as if he had accidentally said something he shouldn't have, and turned to her. "Nothing," he dismissed. "It's nothing important."

Tenten didn't seem to notice his strange behaviour. Instead, she felt her blood race and stifled a gasp, now aware of their proximity. His face was just mere inches away from hers—despite the height difference—and she could see every detail of his thin, angular nose, his flawless skin, his strong jaw line and every pigment of his fathomless ivory eyes. Heat spread through her cheeks.

"Neji, Ten—"

The soft voice stopped, and both sixteen year olds spun around to see the surprised—and now red—face of the shy Hyuuga heiress. "Oh, I-I'm so s-sorry!" she stuttered, her flushed face even visible as she hung her head to bow. "Please a-accept my s-sincere apologies, N-neji-nii-san. I r-really didn't m-mean to i-interrupt!"

The Hyuuga prodigy didn't say anything, but he merely looked away and Tenten took it as an implication that she was supposed to speak.

"It's alright. We weren't doing anything," she quickly reassured, feeling strangely warm at how casually she had used the term 'we'. She looked pointedly at the male Hyuuga, and with a slight smile, added, "even Neji isn't doing anything!"

Hinata looked past the taller girl and seemed slightly stunned at her older cousin being quiet. He, of course, was naturally silent and didn't like to interact with others, but if one were to bother him, he wouldn't even hesitate from scolding and insulting, let alone _stay_.

"So Hinata," Tenten said after she didn't reply, "what were you going to say before?"

"Oh right!" the younger girl exclaimed, giggling, her laughter still weak with relief. "I thought that you t-two might be interested in these." She brought out two small pieces of rectangular paper. "They're coupons for free meals at Ereganto," she explained. "I invited some other people, too. Everybody has a day off today."

"No way! Isn't that the most expensive restaurant in Konoha? How did you get these?"

"Father knows one of their chefs," Hinata replied, smiling at her enthusiasm. "And yes, it is. Their food and their variety is great! I go almost every w-week for lunch but I still haven't gone through their entire menu."

Tenten felt her face fall slightly. While the restaurant's prices were way out of question for a poor peasant like her, it seemed like nothing for a member (let alone the heiress) that belonged to the Hyuuga clan. She couldn't exactly imagine herself eating in the restaurant that she passed everyday because she couldn't afford any of it. Her eyes subconsciously flitted from Neji to Hinata, and then to the large Hyuuga mansion. Again, this was the difference between her life and the life of someone rich.

"So do you two want to go?" Hinata's voice broke into her thoughts. "I know we usually eat in the l-living room, but today it'll be pretty empty. There's a meeting, and most of the o-others have made plans to eat dinner outside too."

The brunette plastered a cheerful smile on her face and hoped it was convincing. "Of course!"

* * *

  
Tenten had not given much thought on what she would wear. She decided to wear her usual, baggy Chinese styled clothing, keeping her usual hairdo of buns. Regardless of how elegant and rich the restaurant was, there was no point in dressing like someone rich. Tenten knew she would be meeting new people at the restaurant and she wanted them to see her for who she really was. Besides, the last time she spent time applying makeup and wearing expensive clothes was when she first arrived, and she made an incredible fool out of herself.

Maybe she was making a fool of herself right now.

She was walking down the streets with Neji and Hinata, with the Hyuuga heiress leading the way. She and Neji were trailing behind slightly, walking next to each other. Tenten saw that Neji or Hinata did not change into anything fancy, and she was thankful for that—but she still noticed how much sharper Neji looked than her, regardless of what he was wearing. She also noticed that townspeople were staring at her and Neji's proximity, some frowning, and some simply raising their eyebrows in surprise.

"What are they _staring_ at?" she whispered to Neji. She sighed in exasperation when he didn't reply.

It had taken some persuasion in order to get Neji to come to the restaurant, as this was a public gathering and Neji hated anything that was loud in general. He instantly refused to go right after Hinata left them with two coupons for free meals, claiming that he had better things to do. But Tenten, being the stubborn tutor she was, asked him over and over again. Although he finally gave in after she asked for the fourth time, she knew that there was still no reason for him to be cooperative.

"Maybe w-we should pick up the pace," Hinata piped up after a while. "We're g-going to be late."

Tenten, thankful for this, broke into a brisk run, and maintained it easily until they were at the restaurant.

Ereganto was much more than she had expected. Whenever she passed by, she would manage to catch a glimpse of the restaurant's entrance and garden through the gates. The rest was covered by the wooden fence. But now that she was inside, she stared, marvelled at how elegantly the structure of everything was designed. Once they entered the gates, they walked down a long, stoned pathway that curved around the beautiful garden, which had romantic tables and fountains that were adorned by roses and vines. The main building was at the end of the path, and it was absolutely magnificent, with the large floor to ceiling windows and a porch that extended from the side of the entrance, down the side, past the back, and all the way up to the front again.

It was even larger on the inside, the atmosphere completely changing when they stepped from the garden and into the restaurant. The doors, walls, ceilings, and stairs were all in a polished, smooth, rich coloured wood, and Tenten couldn't spot a single thing out of place. The pottery and paintings that decorated the waiting room were grungy, yet antique, and they were somehow accentuated in the dim light.

Tenten was surprised at how cosy the place seemed. As she was led to the table, she noticed how most of the people there were couples, dressing sharply and murmuring quietly. There was only one table that was out of place—and that was the same one that had the loudest chattering.

"Here you go," the waitress said, and left shortly.

Tenten marvelled at how comfy everything was. The seat was actually a long cushion; it curved around the large round table, ending at the front where the waiters and waitresses would come and go. Sakura sat between two guys near the end of the large 'U', and Tenten recognised, by the pink haired girl's previous descriptions, that the one sitting on the outer end was Naruto, a hyperactive blond with clear blue eyes. The dark haired guy, who had an expression that closely resembled Neji's, was seated on other side of Sakura. Tenten knew that the handsome boy was Sasuke. Ino sat next to Sasuke, and then there were two guys she didn't quite recognise. Kiba and Shino, who she had met the other day, sat next, and Hinata took the spot after that. "C-come and sit, Tenten," she said.

Tenten smiled and seated herself, leaving Neji the last outer spot.

"Oh, so_ this_ is Hyuuga's new girl! It's about time I met you, Tenten. I'm Uzumaki Naruto!" the blond exclaimed. He grinned widely as he elbowed Sakura. "Wow, you never told me she was _that _pretty." His eyes ran over Tenten appreciatively, who subconsciously leaned towards Neji. "She's thin and tall. Model like, actually, if you lose the buns, and the loose clothing…"

"Naru_to_!" Sakura bonked him on the head, and smiled apologetically at Tenten while some others laughed. "Sorry, Neji, Tenten. Naruto here has been hanging out with Kakashi-sensei and his books too much lately." She turned to Sasuke and her expression softened, and Tenten instantly recalled the pink-haired girl gushing about the Uchiha prodigy and how he took his shirt off one time. "At least Sasuke-kun is sane. Well, when he's not busy training, at least."

Tenten joined in the laughter knowingly, and she was soon introduced to the rest of the former members of the rookie nine, learning a bit about everybody's fighting styles and techniques. The dinner proceeded when a waitress showed up to take their orders; Tenten vaguely noticed how the young waitress's eyes lingered on Sasuke and Neji for a moment before reluctantly starting to take the orders. Sakura noticed this, and slightly annoyed, began ordering a bunch of things, speaking intentionally at an almost incomprehensible speed. Naruto laughed wholeheartedly and ordered his large meal as well. As the ninjas all had unlimited choices, they—especially Naruto and Chouji—took as much as they could possibly eat, each person taking a different kind of food so they could all share and taste the exquisite foods of Ereganto.

"This food's _amazing_," Ino exclaimed as she finished the last spoonful of her desert. "I've never tasted anything like this before!"

"What happened to the diet, Ino?" Sakura asked teasingly, and giggled as Ino made a face.

"W-we're ninjas. Calories d-don't affect us," Hinata piped up.

"You girls are too troublesome," Shikamaru said, yawning, leaning back into the soft cushion.

"I'm going to the bathroom," Neji suddenly muttered, speaking for the first time during the entire night. He abruptly got up. Tenten knew that the noise and conversations that lasted for the past few hours was more than enough to drive him off the edge. But, still, he had been patient enough to stay and not leave, so she really had nothing to say about it.

When he was out of hearing range, Naruto suddenly leaned in, his eyes wide with curiosity. A grin spread across his face. "So what's up with you and Neji? I've never actually seen Neji go out to public gatherings—_yow_! What was that for, Sakura-chan?"

Tenten shot the pink-haired kunoichi a grateful glance, but answered the blond anyway. "I already told you. I'm sort of his peer tutor, so I bring him out cause he's just that anti-social"—she could see, from the corner of her eyes that Sasuke's mouth twitched—"and I train with him."

"So you're who he's training with for the tournament?" Naruto asked.

"Tournament?"

"It's like the final stage of the Chuunin exams," Kiba explained. "You know, when people go to combat one on one."

Tenten's brows furrowed as she struggled to remember. She had been in the audience for one, but it was quite a while ago. The admission fee was more than she could afford, and she would often pick up a copy of the newspaper the day after. "I remember," she said finally. "I was there once, but I think it was when I was eleven. I don't think any of you tried out yet."

"Right," Hinata said, her voice soft. "B-but this time, it's sort of a tournament to s-see who's the best fighter in Konoha. Usually, whoever wins gets m-money, and their rank usually goes up. Lots of people join, and t-the ages don't matter. So, since some of us, including Neji-nii-chan, are trying out this year, w-we have to train hard to beat the others who have more e-experience."

"But Neji's really strong," Tenten said, her voice thoughtful. "I trained with him before. I was only able to beat him because he had no more chakra and he was all worn out." She left out the rest; there was no need to say that she injured him and how she prevented him from training.

"Really?" Sasuke asked, his usually impassive voice holding a spark of interest. He looked at the brunette. "How were you able to defeat him?"

"I just noticed how he resorts to using his Kaiten a lot to defend himself for long range attacks. So, I attacked him, and he used his Kaiten, but just as he slowed, I attacked him with everything I had. I guess he didn't have much chakra or energy to defend himself that well." Tenten grimaced at the memory of hearing the scythe piercing Neji's shoulder. "But, like I said, he was worn out and had no more chakra left. It was sort of a freebie, on my side." She didn't notice how everybody at their table listened interestedly.

"You're a weapons mistress," Kiba stated. "Is weaponry one of Neji's weaker points?"

"Well, not really. He's pretty good, but he relies too much on his Byakugan. He's influenced by his inherited skills, and I guess he just gets sort of a different kind of training from me. Not that I'm that strong, anyway."

"Still impressive," Sasuke said. "I myself have not gotten the chance to fight him yet. I'm going this year to the tournament, and I know for a fact that many Hyuugas are fighting. I would like some insight from someone like you, Tenten." Sasuke's onyx eyes were intimidating. "Would you mind if I trained with you some time?"

Tenten couldn't help it; she felt her cheeks flush slightly. Sakura was right about his strange effects on girls. "S-sure."

"Hey, I want to come too!" Naruto exclaimed. His usually happy face scrunched up in thought. "But I think Neji has a good shot at winning, either way. I fought him a few years ago, and boy, was he scary! He just started to blab about my destiny… I think his words can undermine somebody quickly, and then he just finishes them off." He frowned slightly at his memories. "But, Neji seriously needs an attitude change."

"I do?"

Neji's impassive voice and sudden appearance made Naruto jump with a yelp. Tenten, turning to see the Hyuuga prodigy, was startled by his rather angelic expression—his eyebrow cocked, his eyes blank yet expectant. For a second she almost thought that he would walk out, as she recognised this as his face to conceal emotions, but Neji stayed and directed his gaze to the young Hyuuga heiress.

"We must go now, Hinata-sama. It's almost midnight. Hiashi-sama won't be happy."

"Yes. You should g-go with Tenten. Father knows that m-my t-team and I need to see Kurenai-sensei for our m-mission."

"I thought you went this morning," Tenten pointed out, remembering the conversation from the café.

"We were. But when we went, Tsunade-sama was still undecided as to whether we should go," Shino informed quietly. "We are to see Kurenai at the Hokage's tower tonight, and if she is decided, then we will set out."

"I've never seen the Hokage so frustrated before," Kiba added.

The large group of eleven split from there; Hinata and her team set off together towards the Hokage's tower, while Chouji and Shikamaru went their separate ways back to their homes. Sakura and Ino headed towards Konoha's hospital, but Neji and Tenten followed, as it passed by on the route to the Hyuuga mansion. Naruto and Sasuke simply tagged along, since they had nothing else to do and they each had no family to come home to.

"Oh look!" exclaimed the bubbly pink haired kunoichi, when the hospital came into view. She skipped ahead towards a light pole nearby. She peered down at the colourful flyer that was taped sloppily onto it. "Join us at the biggest festival of the year," she read aloud. Her voice slowly rose in excitement. "There will be prizes, contests, celebrations, free food, games, and dances!" She clapped happily. "Oh, it's been a while since the last festival! Guys, we must come altogether!"

Naruto nodded in agreement. "I'm in if there's free food."

Ino smiled. "I'm not missing this one!"

Tenten smiled warily. "Sure. It's not like we have anything else to do. Right, Neji?"

She turned to him when he didn't reply. His eyes were closed and his arms were crossed, but his expression was at ease. Strangely content, she slowly turned back to face the hospital. Sakura had already entered to check up on Amaya, and Sasuke and Naruto followed her, waiting in the lobby. The two younger ninjas started fighting shortly after sitting—with Sasuke muttering, and Naruto, infuriated, yelling. Tenten smiled softly at the sight.

"Why do they fight?" she murmured to Neji. "And they don't need to wait for Sakura. She's a strong ninja."

"They're a team. They stay, fight and die together."

He spoke the words through his teeth, yet Tenten felt her grin widen. She could tell that Neji was clearly making an effort to be patient, and for this simple reason, she felt her heart throb with pride and happiness. This was the most surprising day yet; first Neji apologised, and now he was trying to be more considerate. It seemed as if he actually changed because of his false accusation. Tenten wondered; would he have been like this if she didn't leave?

"Tenten-nee-chan!"

Tenten, slightly startled, turned to the familiar voice. Amaya's tiny head was peering out the second floor window, grinning widely as her little blonde pigtails dangled in the air. She was waving eagerly with her little hand, and in the background, Sakura was waving as well.

The brunette smiled warmly back at the two. "Hey! Look who's here!" She pointed to Neji, who raised an eyebrow but remained quiet nonetheless.

"I know!" Amaya replied, her eyes wide with excitement. But she soon turned away, to do what Tenten guessed to be taking medicine.

"What was that all about?"

Neji's question made Tenten realise that he didn't know about the little blonde or her admiration for him. "That's Amaya," she replied, "an eight year old I visit at the hospital. She's a big fan of yours. She wants to become as strong as you one day."

"But she can't," he slowly concluded.

Tenten knew he knew about Amaya's fatal condition just by his all-knowing tone. "Yeah, you're right," she sighed, her voice wistful. "She might come off as a bouncy, happy eight year old, but she suffers more than she lets anybody know. When she was younger, her parents left her at the orphanage because they didn't have enough money to support her. Apparently, she was"—she left her fingers to make quotations marks—"an 'accident'. But they didn't visit her either way, only sending her a card during her birthday, and she kind of thought that they didn't want to see her, so she started to disobey everybody at the orphanage." She didn't see Neji as he looked intently at her.

"But when she was six," she continued, "she was taken in by the Tanakas. They're good friends of her parents, and now she actually gets to see her parents from time to time. She's going to the academy, and she's finally starting to live her life. But now…" She stopped, and finally noticed that Neji was staring at her with an unfathomable expression. "What?"

He didn't say anything, but his gaze drifted back to the window, where Amaya was talking to Sakura, and then looked back at the brunette. "You like kids." It wasn't a question.

"Sort of." Tenten smiled sheepishly. "I babysat a lot for money, but no matter how much experience I have, the kids always annoy me. They're always the same. They're spoiled, loud, and curious about everything. They pull at my hair, they scratch me, and they always want to do whatever I do! It's like they want to be like me."

He raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't that be a good thing?"

Tenten blinked, unable to detect any sarcasm in his soft, velvety voice. She didn't know whether to take it as a compliment or not, but she felt her face redden just for the slightest bit. "No, I don't think so. Like I said, too annoying."

"So you think kids are irritating, but you're attached to Amaya. Why is that?"

"Kids are annoying, and they talk a lot, but I know it's just a part of their nature. They naturally curious about everything." Her eyes softened. "But even the most annoying kids have their moments. One thing I love the most about kids is their innocence. They love it when I read them stories, and when they sleep, I can honestly just sit there and watch their peaceful expressions for an hour." She laughed quietly, more to herself than to him.

"But another thing I love," she continued on, "is that they're all so vulnerable. Even the wildest, most troublemaking kids want to be loved, and you can see that in their eyes and smiles. When a kid smiles at me any time of the day"—Tenten subconsciously smiled herself—"I want to stay and keep them safe. It's the same with every child I baby-sit. I always want to go back, thinking about the best moments, like when they smile, or when they sleep. But then, when I'm actually there and they attack me with paint or whatever, I'd hate them for that. But then, it all disappears when I put them to sleep, and I'd want to go back again."

"And Amaya possesses these qualities?"

Tenten had a feeling that Neji was trying to be social; she suppressed a smile. "All kids do," she replied lightly. "It's just that Amaya's… mature. She's like me, in a lot of ways. She doesn't have parents, and she kind of grew up to survive on her own. She doesn't take things for granted, and she has the cutest smile in the world."

"You seem to know her very well. I can tell she likes you very much."

"She may like me, but she adores _you_. You should see her gabble about your tournaments and everything! She's your biggest fan. You're her idol and inspiration."

"Idol? I am not worth admiring."

Tenten shook her head in disagreement. "You should give yourself more credit, Neji. You're strong and hardworking, and you have a strong sense of will. You have a cool demeanour to maintain, yet you're perfectly nice. Like, right now. I can tell you're putting a lot of effort into being patient with me. So now we're having a civilised conversation, and you're not even pushing me away." She smiled. "Compared to how you were at the beginning, you're amazing right now."

"Don't get used to it," Neji muttered under his breath, but Tenten caught it and laughed. She secretly wondered why she was smiling or laughing so much today.

__

* * *

Life doesn't always have its happy ending.

Tenten's words rung clearly in Amaya's ears. The blonde looked at the older girl through the hospital window, smiling a little.

The brunette said that quote some time ago, when the little blonde asked if she had found her prince charming yet. The sadness in Tenten's eyes made the little girl stop pressing on, in case it would trigger something within the older girl and cause her to leave. However, over the next few visits, Amaya found out that the quote didn't just refer to the brunette's slow love life. Tenten didn't know how her future would be like. But, strangely, she accepted it all and didn't take anything for granted.

Amaya tried averting the sad topic. So she started babbling about her idol, Hyuuga Neji, and she soon found out that Tenten did know him in person. Amaya guessed that she admired him just as much as she did, so she made Tenten tell her everything she knew about him. But, the blonde found out about the failed tutoring job, and that was honestly no better than talking about the brunette's dim future.

But the way Tenten explained Neji's personality made Amaya wonder if her relationship with him was just one between friends. But then again, Amaya knew she couldn't jump to conclusions, as one would always do if they saw a girl and a boy together. She knew of Tenten's past, and how she was alone for all this time, so the blonde was glad that Tenten found friends like Ino and Sakura. But it was obvious that she needed a significant other—Amaya, eight years old or not, was positive that the brunette needed a companion in life.

But could he be Neji? It was hard to tell.

"Isn't it interesting to watch?" Sakura, her pink-haired nurse, mused. Performing the same routine everyday, she took out a little clear bottle of capsules, took a tablet out, took out a plastic cup from the cabinet, and filled it with water. She then passed it all to Amaya, who took the medicine and gulped it down.

"Yeah," Amaya agreed wholeheartedly. She knew about the reunion; Sakura told her what happened when Ino returned to the hospital yesterday, claiming that Neji had finally come to his senses. "She seems really happy again."

Her cerulean eyes brightened as she peered down the window from her bed. Her bed was originally placed in the centre of the room, but during the seemingly endless hours she spent here, she would often get up and peer out the window because there was nothing else to do. She did that everyday, spending hours watching, sometimes even falling asleep by the windowsill. It was Sakura's idea to move the bed.

Sakura smirked mischievously, an expression that didn't quite fit her angelic face. "To be honest, I think Tenten secretly likes Neji, but she just won't admit it."

Amaya grinned. "Or, she likes him but she doesn't even know it!"

Tenten's obliviousness to just about anything social made it a great possibility, and the pink haired kunoichi laughed. "That's so true. She thinks that every joy comes from a job done right. Like Neji's case, there."

"Is she always like this, Sakura-nee-chan?"

"I've only met her for a short while, but I think I know how she acts." Her emerald eyes were thoughtful. "Tenten is really selfless. She finds more happiness in pleasing others than herself. And when she sees that something is going right—when someone is happier because of her, she feels pleasure, too." She smiled softly. "And when she finds herself enjoying the process of making someone's life better, she's even more ecstatic. Like right now." She looked down the window, and Amaya followed her gaze.

Neji and Tenten were still standing in front of the hospital, but this time, they were standing closer to each other, their hands nearly touching despite their height difference. Tenten was talking animatedly as she waited for Sakura, her eyes sparkling as if the world couldn't get any better. And although Neji did not open his mouth to reply, he gave occasional nods, his lips pressed together as if he was suppressing a smile, or even laughter. His eyes were, undoubtedly, at peace.

At first, Amaya was in shock. But then her expression turned into one of awe and wonder. Seeing them talk like that, in a manner that seemed so private and intimate, made her bright blue eyes sparkle. Maybe Tenten was wrong, she thought happily.

Maybe life did have its happy endings.

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**A/N:** FINALLY, I managed to get this chapter out. I knew I had to write one before all the school work comes in… oh great, the joy of school. But anyhow, sorry if the chapter was rushed; I wrote the parts in like, twenty different times because my mum limits my computer time. She's like a freaking hawk.

Story: Well, somebody asked why I made Neji win against Naruto at the Chuunin exams. Well, basically, Neji would have changed if Naruto did win. And, well, he just explained why fate made Naruto lose, including the fact that his dad went in to save Hiashi (meaning that people like Sakura know about the whole the land of lightning finding no traces of the Byakugan.) Neji didn't mention anything about him having the curse mark, or the lower branch status and all of that. Nobody outside the clan knows about it, so nobody told Tenten about his past.

I hope that clears some stuff up. Well, I'll stop here before my author notes becomes a chapter itself. Thanks to my beta Philyra, and thank _you_ for reading my super duper long (long for me) chapter! Let me know what you think! :)

Love always,  
Chigiri Sasaki


	15. Chapter Fifteen: Changes

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything of Naruto.

**Destined to Love  
**_By: Chigiri Sasaki _

Summary: He was a prodigy, with a damaged past and no future. She was a commoner, with a hidden secret. Strung together by fate, it was only a matter of time before she changed his life forever. [AU, NejiTen]

**Chapter Fifteen**

The first thing that greeted her the next morning was the brisk wind of late autumn.

The chilly morning air seeped through the thin material of her nightgown the moment she threw her covers off. She instantly shivered and sneezed. Mumbling curses, she went over to the open window and shut it with a distinct click.

She fell back onto her bed and sighed deeply. The air in her room was crisp and cold—the result of keeping the window wide open all night long. But it really didn't matter much, Tenten thought with a smile, as her new surroundings were simply astounding. She spent about an hour last night after the party simply taking in her new room, wondering how such luxury existed. It was huge and airy, and the impact it had on her was just as strong as if it was the first time. However, it lacked the cosiness and hominess that was present everywhere at Ino's house.

But then again, who was she to complain? Just about everything was better than the abandoned cottage she lived in.

"Miss Tenten?"

The quiet voice that made Tenten jump belonged to a maid who stood in the doorway. "Miss Tenten?" she repeated, and held out a stack of clothes. "These are the newly washed clothes selected personally by Hinata-sama. She says she hopes they suit you well."

"I'm sure they are. Thanks." Tenten smiled at the maid warmly and thanked her once more as she took the clothing. They smelled of fresh lilacs.

Tenten smiled softly to herself. For once, the little fire inside her heart—the shred of hope she clung onto all her life—grew, and she could almost see a future in her life now. She didn't know what she wanted to do, but she could see that she wasn't going to starve and she would have friends to support her. In the past few days, her life swerved around so quickly she couldn't do anything more than to be grateful and thank her lucky stars.

After changing into the beautiful clothes, she stepped out of the room and shut the door behind her; it was time to wake Neji.

This was obviously part of her job, but she didn't think of it that way anymore. She truly did want to befriend this seemingly heartless boy. She especially didn't want the feelings she had yesterday with him to end. She smiled more, she laughed harder, and it almost felt as if she had no more worries in the world. It was odd, but knowing that he was beginning to accept her made so much more of a difference in her life.

With a deep breath, she walked towards Neji's room and knocked gently.

"Neji?" she called softly when there was no response. "Neji, are you there?"

"He's probably still sleeping."

Although caught off guard, Tenten instantly recognised the smooth, musical voice. She spun around to see Hiro walking up to her, looking as immaculate as he did last night. He stopped in front of her, so close there was less than an arm's length of distance between them. Tenten felt heat pervading her face.

"H-hi," she managed to spit out.

He simply chuckled in response, his eyes light and amused. "Hi."

"Um, what are you doing here?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I live here?"

Tenten's cheeks coloured a shade brighter. "Oh, right."

He smirked. "So I see you're wearing the necklace I gave you."

Her hand flew to her neck instinctively. Feeling the emerald pendant, she lost all traces of nervousness and smiled genuinely. "Thank you so much," she said quietly, and then her eyes were downcast. "You don't know how much this means to me. I had a necklace too, but I lost it some time ago." She looked back up into his pearly eyes. "This is also my first real gem."

The edges of Hiro's eyes softened. "You're welcome," he murmured softly.

She couldn't quite breathe then.

"It really brings out the colour of your eyes."

Tenten giggled softly and pushed him away. "Always the womanizer."

"You know it."

Tenten smiled. "Well, go bother someone else. I have to do my job." She pointed to Neji's room door and then gestured to the other side of the hallway. "Have a nice day."

He simply chuckled and winked before resuming his walk.

Once Hiro was out of sight, Tenten took a deep breath and took a moment to recollect the conversation she just had. What a strange, yet oddly satisfying encounter that had been. Then something occurred to her; did Neji hear the entire conversation? From spending only a few hours last night, she could instantly tell that there was a slight hatred going on.

She slid Neji's door open, expecting for him to be standing right there with his patronising eyes. But to her immense surprise, he wasn't outside training—instead, he was sleeping under his covers in a slumber so deep he didn't seem to notice much of his surroundings. It was rare that an elite ninja would let his guard down like this. His eyes were peacefully closed, his hands were on either side of his body and his chest rose and fell every time he breathed. He looked angelic to Tenten, almost inhumanly beautiful. There was no imperfection to his smooth, flawless complexion. There wasn't a single trace of that hatred or bitterness that contorted his conscious self.

She sighed softly. She wondered if she would ever be able to be as happy as that.

"Neji," she said, so gently it was as if she was rocking a baby to sleep. "Neji, wake up."

His eyes didn't open right away; they didn't snap open the way a ninja would. They opened slowly, and Tenten was taken back by the beauty of his eyes once more.

"What is it?" he asked, quietly and husky from sleeping.

It took Tenten a second longer to respond. "Well, I just wanted to wake you up. I want to go somewhere today!"

"Do I have to?"

"What do you think?"

He pondered this for a moment and with a quiet groan, got out of bed and headed for the door. Tenten followed him with a smile on her face, completely ecstatic he finally accepted her a little bit more. However, she wondered how much further she could push him.

"You know," she said casually as they walked down the corridor, "You can pick up the groceries and some supplies for the kitchen along the way. I heard Hiashi-sama's hosting a dinner tonight. And," she added, a smile playing on her face, "Perhaps we could go shopping? I want to see if there are any shoes to go with the dress Hinata gave me."

She didn't expect him to say yes; even she wouldn't play along if the person she hated asked her to do such things. And plus, she really didn't care if she had matching shoes.

So she was dumbfounded when Neji sighed quietly and nodded. "Might as well," he murmured.

And he disappeared into the bathroom, leaving Tenten completely stunned and her mouth hanging in shock.

* * *

When the two walked out of Konoha's largest grocery store, Tenten carried six large bags full of food in her hands, while Neji carried nine. She turned to Neji to beam at him. "Well that was fun!"

And it was true; Tenten always shopped alone back then, but it was somehow much more fun when she read off the list and had Neji fetch the items. That was probably one of the reasons why she went overboard and bought every type of food—the other being the fact that she knew the Hyuugas were picky and didn't know what they wanted exactly. But what kept her there the longest were the oddly satisfying wide-eyed stares she got from a few townspeople when they saw Hyuuga Neji shopping with a commoner like her.

"You could have asked a servant to come," Neji replied in irritation.

"Well, why work them harder than they need to?" She turned to look at him seriously. "You know, there are people who don't have servants, Neji. Just because your family is rich doesn't mean that you can take advantage of it and be so… so selfish."

Neji raised an eyebrow but remained silent, unmoved and unaffected by her words.

"Well," she said at last, putting a bright smile, "I think that's all we have to do. Let's go home then."

"What about your shoes?"

For a moment, Tenten had no idea what he was referring to. Shoes weren't part of the list, and Hiashi never mentioned anything about it either. After a second of realisation, she immediately gaped. If _she_ didn't remember, then why would he?

"S-sure," she managed to choke out at last.

The walk to Konoha's finest shoe store was quiet. Yet, there was no uncomfortable silence lingering; both teenagers had always lived in solitude. Tenten simply took in her new surroundings. She couldn't quite remember how moist and humid the summer air felt against her skin anymore; everything seemed to pass right before her eyes without her even knowing it. There was no more of that fresh, musty smell of newly cut grass anymore, but, she thought with a sigh, the sight of falling leaves was just as beautiful. It was almost like a scene from a painting, or even a dream, full of rich colours that warmed the heart.

Neji noticed the change in weather as well. He was always the observant one—the one to notice the tiny differences that led to the eventual change of season. To him, it meant time was fleeing. And that was only a reminder of how useless his life was and how he was letting everything pass him by.

That was the only reason as to why he agreed to go out today with Tenten. He wanted to see if there was a different side to life—he wanted to see if there was a side of the world that wasn't ugly and harsh. And for once, he wanted to be as carefree as those people around him. Maybe, there was a way to unlock the cage that the hatred he harboured all these years built. Maybe, there was a way to be happy.

He suddenly stopped.

What happened to him? When did he… change?

And then, as if something somewhere answered, the girl—his annoying, lost, vulnerable tutor—beside him suddenly spoke up. "Those shoes," she murmured. Her eyes were suddenly full of life, and her cheeks were suddenly rosy and she smiled with such a brilliance it nearly made him breathless.

She ran to the shoe store display. "Those are beautiful!" she exclaimed in complete awe.

They were the perfect shoes. The stilettos were coloured in a light shade of metallic silver, and the straps curved and twisted around in just the right way. They were perfect for her—the shade was subtle enough for a plain girl like her, but it was shiny enough to catch attention.

She stared at them for what seemed like an eternity, until Neji broke into her thoughts. "You can't fight in those."

She turned to him, half smiling and half laughing. "No, you can't," she agreed, "but they really are beautiful."

"Go buy them, then."

She snorted. "Are you kidding me? I can barely survive with the money I have. Now why would I spend my money on that?" And as an afterthought, she added, "I wouldn't want anybody buying that for me anyway. It costs a fortune."

He looked at the pair of shoes for a moment. "Go home, then?"

Tenten looked at him with a hopeful smile. "Can we go to the hospital first?"

* * *

She didn't think he would say yes. She honestly didn't.

She thought he would firmly say no and simply walk off, like he had done before. Or maybe he would even drag her back without hesitation, muttering curses about how he walked around Konoha doing simply nothing.

But now they were in the hospital, in Amaya's room as the tiny, bubbly blonde gushed about how she loved and admired Neji. The Hyuuga prodigy was simply overwhelmed by the little girl's enthusiasm, and after ten minutes, he cast an annoyed glance at Tenten, who in return laughed weakly.

"So Amaya," she interposed, "how are you feeling?"

"Oh, I'm good, thanks. I get a little woozy now and then, but other than that, I'm fine." She grinned, and Tenten could see that her two front teeth were starting to grow in.

The brunette held her two little hands and looked into her eyes earnestly. "I promise you that you'll be out of here in no time, Amaya. And then I'll bring you to the aquarium and to otherplaces! I'll teach you how to do special target training!" She couldn't help but feel empty lying. She remembered what Ino said when she gave them a pill to prevent them from being infected. Ino said that Amaya was already at her final stage.

The little blonde's grin widened. "I can't wait!"

"Oh, but remember to finish the Academy first," Tenten continued to lie. It was a good thing she was used to disguising sad events in her life. "When classes are dismissed, then you promise to come and find me!"

"Tenten-nee-chan, I sometimes think of you as my fairy godmother."

Tenten smiled and felt some of her worry leave. No matter how serious things were, Amaya was always happy. That made her smile, as well. "Well," she suggested, "As your fairy godmother, I'll grant you three wishes!"

Amaya laughed and clapped giddily. "I've always loved that stuff!" She put a finger to her chin and tapped it thoughtfully. "Well, my first wish was to meet my idol Neji, but I already got that."

"My second wish is to get out of the hospital," she said finally. She pinched her tiny button nose. "I'm always bored and this place is smelly."

Tenten laughed; the corners of Neji's mouth uplifted ever so slightly.

"And third… well, I'll get back to you on that one, Tenten-nee-chan."

* * *

Far away from Konoha, lighting splintered in the sky and a booming sound followed shortly in the night. Raindrops that pelted against the roof of the tall tower were heard from the incensed room. The room was dark, dimly lit by the light that spilled in through the two large doors that was left ajar. There were two figures, one female, bowing on the floor. The other figure sat imperiously in an ornate chair. There were rows of chairs next to him that were vacant.

The female was the first to speak. "I'm sorry, father. I have failed you."

The male made a sound between a snort and grunt, but then there was a certain gleam in his eye. "While you were gone," he started, and chuckled in his deep, raspy voice. "I already commenced my plan in Konoha. This time you will not fail me, Akira."

She bowed. "I promise I will not, father."

She left the room then, and after closing the door, she left her father completely in the darkness.

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**A/N:** So sorry for the late & short chapter! School is officially on my butt… but anyways, just wanted to get this out. So sorry if it's rushed or whatnot. And haha! Akira's baccckk.

But oh oh! Who watched TWILIGHT?! I went to watch the midnight release… and it wasn't as good as the book, but I still love it! Robert Pattinson was seriously… OMG OMG, too beautiful to describe. But I seriously wanted to stab that girl next to me… kept giggling and screaming during the whole thing. I love Edward cullen too, but honestly.

Anyyyways. Hope that you enjoyed the chapter. reviews will be greatly appreciated!

Chigiri:)


	16. Chapter Sixteen: Present

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything of Naruto.

Recap: Tenten is the hired peer tutor for Neji. She is an orphan, living by herself, that has no memories of her past. All she remembers is waking up in Konoha, and being comforted by Neji when he was young. She does not know that presently, and Neji plans to keep that secret to himself.

Then comes along Akira, who is sent by her father, the Raikage, to seek for the Hyuuga's secret after failing many years ago. She fools Neji into thinking that Tenten tried to kill him by poisoning his drink. Tenten runs away after being fed up and insulted multiple times. Akira's disguise as Mikya is then blown some time later, but she manages to escape after severely injuring Neji.

Meanwhile, Tenten has various, brief scenes of her childhood and faints when she's living with Ino. Tenten learns from Tsunade that from now on, she'll be seeing pieces of her memories until she remembers everything. Tenten also meets a tiny blonde called Amaya at the hospital. She's the eight year old that's dying from some incurable brain tumour. Ino and Sakura discover later on that it's some kind of epidemic, and the disease is found in the herbs that are being delivered by outside sources… which means, there's someone after Konoha.

Neji recovers from the injury that Akira caused, and then retrieves Tenten and asks her to return back to the Hyuuga house. She meets all the little kids there, realising that they never talked to her back then because their parents never approved of it. She also meets Hiro, a strikingly handsome guy her age that seems to have taken interest in her. He also gives her a necklace.

Tenten also realises that Neji's a lot nicer to her.

**Destined to Love  
**_By: Chigiri Sasaki _

Summary: He was a prodigy, with a damaged past and no future. She was a commoner, with a hidden secret. Strung together by fate, it was only a matter of time before she changed his life forever. [AU, NejiTen]

**Chapter Sixteen**

_It was dark in the tunnel. _

_There was no light up ahead, no __visible ending of what felt like a nightmare. She was heaving as she ran, her hair drenching in her cold sweat. All those hours she spent training to improve her endurance and strength was rather helpful, but her little heart wasn't quite capable of all this strenuous exercise. She wasn't even an academy graduate yet. Tenten couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something else that made this run such a rushed and scary thing. Before she could recall the reason, her mind blanked out and told her to solely focus on running. _

_Running beside her was a tall woman, holding her tiny hand in a familiar grip. __The woman was running the fastest, undoubtedly a trained ninja, pulling Tenten and this other unseen person at a pace too fast for them to follow. _

_There was desperation in the air; Tenten could feel it. It felt like a scary dream, a dream where she was running as fast as her legs could possibly bring her but she couldn_'_t outrun whatever was following them. What was even worse that it was reality, and even her mother, the person who she trusted most, couldn't reassure her and tell her how everything was alright. _

"_You two, listen." The woman_'s _voice was hard and strained as she continued looking ahead. Her grip on them tightened. "No matter what you'll forget, I hope"—she gulped down what seemed like guilt—"that deep down, your heart will always remember the love your father and I had for you." _

_Tenten had no idea why her mother was saying this, but she nodded anyway. "Mommy," she said, her breath short. "Will everything be okay?"_

_There was no reply._

Tenten groaned into her hands as the scene replayed in her mind for the twentieth time.

It was all too vague.

It first came to her a few nights ago in her sleep; however, it appeared in her dreams every following night. This morning was no different. She woke up in alarm, distressed, tensed, and sweaty. Figuring that she wouldn't be able to sleep afterwards anyways, she changed out of her sleeping gown and headed outside for a walk in the garden.

"_No matter what you'll forget, I hope that deep down, your heart will always remember the love your father and I had for you." _

She could see her mother's face through her peripheral vision, but once she tried focusing, the image was blurry. The other girl, on the other side of her mother, was completely darkened.

Tenten let out another groan of frustration. Why was this so confusing? She would much rather remember nothing than to have little fragments of her past. She rubbed her temples in an attempt to ease the pounding blood in her head. She was beginning to feel light-headed again, but it wasn't as bad as the first time, when she fell unconscious. In a way, it really seemed like she was accessing a new part of her brain; at the same time, however, it felt like something was blocking her entrance, and punished her whenever she tried sneaking a way in.

Trying to find other things to distract her, she looked up into the barely lit sky. It was coloured in a whitish grey from the light snow, but the clouds were still somewhat visible. She watched as the sheets of clouds drifted far away to the horizon.

The slow, pleasant drifting had a calming effect on her soul, and Tenten finally began to feel her restlessness settling down. Allowing the tranquility to engulf her, she closed her tired eyes, hoping that she would be able to catch up on the sleep she had lost in the past few days.

"Tenten?" Said girl turned around to the surprised, soft familiar voice, lifting her chin to meet the worried face of Hyuuga Hinata. The Hyuuga heiress was holding something, but as if she realised that that something could be seen, she hid it behind her. "Tenten," she said softly, "what are you d-doing out here so early? Is something wrong?"

Tenten reassured her with a confident smile. "I'm fine. I'm just a little worn out, that's all." She gazed towards the sky and sighed softly. "Snow came early this year."

"Um, not q-quite. It's a-almost the end of the year. Snow always c-comes around this time of y-year."

Tenten did not reply; she simply closed her eyes. Her sudden words took Hinata by surprise. "Why are you hiding your adorable teddy bear? It's too big to cover, you know. I can see its yellow legs and hands sticking out."

"O-oh."

The blush that surfaced on the heiress' porcelain cheeks piqued Tenten's curiosity as she opened her eyes and smiled mischievously. "Who's it from?"

"Uh, no o-one in p-particular."

Tenten stood up, approaching the Hyuuga heiress. "Oh, really? So that's why you're out here so early, all fixed and looking gorgeous, holding a gift from just no one?"

Hinata's blush deepened. "That's r-right."

"Aw, Hinata! There's no fun if you give half of the situation. It's like… it's like me getting a million dollars, but not revealing how I got it, or me getting nice shoes, which I did by the way, but not telling you where I got them, or—"

"Tenten," Hinata cut in quietly. She looked around cautiously and lead the brunette to a deeper corner of the Hyuuga garden. "This is a g-gift from"—her lips curved into a soft smile—"Naruto-kun."

Tenten immediately thought of the blond that left the strongest impression on her and smiled. "That is too cute!" Her smile faltered slightly. "Wait, then why are you guys meeting at four thirty in the morning? Is this some kind of forbidden love?"

Hinata shook her head slightly. "Naruto only gave this to me because I helped him out on our last m-mission. Father and the rest of the Hyuuga clan don't approve of him."

Tenten couldn't help but chuckle. "So this is some kind of forbidden love, then. Oh, it's just like the stories!"

"Please keep t-this a secret, Tenten. Even Ino and Sakura don't know."

"Sure, but how can anybody _not_ know? I mean, I just came here recently and I sort of guessed. These people have been living with you since you were born."

"I g-guess it's because I have always been like this. I've always admired him, and Naruto-kun's always n-nice to everybody."

Tenten smiled softly. "You're really lucky, Hinata. I wish I had someone to trust on the most intimate level. I know, that just means that I'm in no place to give you advice, but honestly, I can say that all your efforts won't go wasted. If you two really respect each other, I think that you should be able to tell your parents and family about him. And if your family members really respect you and your decisions, then they would give Naruto a chance." She giggled. "Sorry, that was so incredibly cheesy."

They both seated themselves on a wooden bench. The yellow teddy bear Hinata was holding didn't fit, so she put it by her feet. She fingered its blue ribbon gently.

"No, you're r-right Tenten, but… the Hyuuga clan i-isn't like anything else. There are so many traditions, so many things to follow, so many expectations to live up to. To any other guest that stays over, they seem pretty normal. They won't notice anything because they're not affected by it. Sometimes, I wish I d-didn't belong to this family."

"Hinata! Don't say things like that. I'm sure everything isn't as bad. Hiashi-sama is one of the nicest people I've ever met."

"Yes, but Father is indeed the most understanding of the clan. That is why he was chosen as the l-leader—despite him lacking the sternness or strictness that all the Elders have, he is one of the strongest among us. He is of caring disposition, yet…"

"But what?"

Hinata almost seemed like she was ashamed. Her words came out in a rush. "He still wishes that I was stronger and wouldn't lose to my little sister. He still wishes that I would be a-able to take his position in a heartbeat. He still wishes that I didn't like Naruto-kun, because there are so many other men other there."

"Like who?"

"I think someone who i-is like me, in a sense. Probably someone who possesses power. Father doesn't believe that Naruto is the right person for me, and the c-clan dislikes anyone who doesn't have a name, money and strength."

Tenten scratched the back of her head awkwardly. "Kind of like me, right?"

Hinata bent her head low. "I'm s-so s-sorry, Tenten! Please f-forgive me, I d-didn't mean that."

The brunette laughed convincingly. "It's alright. I kind of guessed when I first came in here."

"The clan doesn't really do that to everybody, but Neji-nii-san is especially… well, you know. He t-tends to put down people before he even gets to know them. It doesn't help that you were sent here for him."

"Yeah, well." Silence enveloped the garden then, and the two simply sat, looking around and taking in the surroundings until Tenten spoke. "Are you planning to go to the festival?"

"Yes, I p-plan to. Sakura told you a-about it before, r-right?"

"Taking Naruto?"

Hinata's head dropped slightly, her cheeks tinged, and Tenten could see that the grip she had on the teddy bear tightened. Then, as if she had come to a realisation, she stood up. "I think I m-must go now. At this time, Father and Neji-nii-san will wake up soon and they t-think I'm still in bed."

Tenten smiled. "You better go then." She waved. "It was nice talking to you, Hinata."

* * *

There was only one way to prevent betrayal and weakness. And that was to avoid those who were distracting and manipulating.

Neji came to this conclusion as he stared into his tea, long and hard.

There was no other possibility; over the past week, he was too lenient, too merciful, too nice, too… changed. He had successfully convinced himself that he had been nice to Tenten due to the wishes—no, orders would be more convenient for his state of mind—of Hiashi. Neji had also felt guilty, but every human had a heart. Everybody would acknowledge that they were wrong if they made a mistake; no one was that much of an ignorant egoist—not even him.

Since pushing her away through words and gestures was not possible, the best way was to stop them altogether; perhaps, if he just ignored her and showed her that he was not affected by her, she would eventually stop and go to some other depressed child that needed consoling and pity.

He did not work this hard all these years for it to be all ruined by some bubbly, happy brunette.

But wait, a quiet voice piped up, didn't he like the way he was? Didn't he like the lighter burden on his shoulders?

Neji quickly pushed that thought out of his mind. There was nothing in the world that gave you benefits without expecting something else in return. Nothing was perfect. If he wanted a happier, carefree life, there must be something that he would have to sacrifice. And he knew what they were. His pride, his efforts, his independence; he would lose everything he had been working so hard for all his life.

And it was the same with humans. What imperfect creatures they were. No one was completely pure; she must of had some kind of intention coming to the Hyuuga residence. Otherwise, she wouldn't be so persistent about staying here. And that scheme she cooked up to fool him; it worked, but it was only a matter of time before he saw through her act.

She was a poor, unskilled, pathetic commoner that deserved nothing.

It was fate. It was—

His train of thoughts broke off when he suddenly crushed the cup he had in his hands. He didn't even notice the slight stings at the joints of his fingers as he watched the white tablecloth soak up the dark brown liquid. Unknowingly, he had applied too much chakra and force thinking about…

He grunted in frustration. Why was he so… so _weak_? He abruptly stood up and left to the training grounds, leaving the mess untouched.

* * *

Tenten had never left the bench she and Hinata were sitting on; instead, she simply leaned against it, and had fallen asleep listening to the peaceful silence. The winds were indeed much chillier when the sun wasn't present, but it was soothing all the same. There was none of that sticky, humid air that summer brought; not only was the winter scent naturally appealing, the air smelled of the strangely lasting flowers from the garden. It was all too tingly and refreshing to her senses.

She awoke soon after hearing the sounds of metal—shuriken, to be exact—lodging into wood. Immediately, the brunette pictured the time where she watched the Hyuuga prodigy train. He was sure of his abilities and didn't miss one single weapon, big or small.

She was right when she arrived at the Hyuuga training grounds. It was exactly how she had envisioned it, except now the leaves were no longer attached to the trees; snow covered the branches now.

"Hey Neji!" she cried out, and her warm, familiar smile graced her lips.

He didn't even glance at her. This was his training time and he did not like to be bothered.

But Tenten didn't even seem fazed and assumed he didn't hear her. "Good morning Neji!"

He turned around for a short moment, gave the briefest nod to her, and then resumed back to his training. His eyes were so hard and cold they took Tenten by surprise; she hadn't seen them in a while. It was almost he like converted back to his old self overnight.

"Is everything all right?" Tenten tried again.

She received no reply.

For the rest of the morning, she didn't receive much of a response from him either; she felt that he was literally going out of his way to avoid her. Although his room was right across from hers, he had found some way to never bump into her in the long corridors. She tried finding him, but she couldn't find him in his usual places. She didn't want to interrogate the other clan members about his whereabouts either. That would be extremely embarrassing. Besides, the only two people she could talk to without feeling awkward weren't here. And when she did spot Neji, he would ignore her until she decided to leave him alone. During all the other times, Hiro would stop her and strike up a conversation.

Maybe Neji was using his Byakuugan against her.

So after about four hours or so, she had given up and spent the rest of the afternoon lying on her bed and reading some magazines from Hinata's room. Although she normally had a distaste for them, she found these ones interesting; they contained tricks and whatnot, explaining how she could protect her skin from vigorous training and whatnot and how she could hide a numerous amount of weapons in a normal, everyday outfit.

She had gone through about two stacks of magazines and tabloids before Sakura and Ino stopped by. They were on their dinner break, and had a few hours before returning back to the hospital for their night shifts.

"So, he actually stayed with me to look at shoes," Tenten said with incredulity, recalling what happened about a week ago. She took a bite out of her meal. "And whenever I asked him to do something, he would hesitate, but then he would eventually give in. Can you believe that Hyuuga Neji made me tea? Well, he had extra after making some for himself, but you know."

Both Ino and Sakura were laughing, and Tenten was surprised at how much it seemed like this was the only time where the two medic ninjas had a chance to actually relax.

"But I don't know," she continued, her voice thoughtful. "I think something changed in him overnight. He's so cold all of a sudden."

Sakura twirled a strand of her hair. "Well, it's Neji after all. He's always been like that… being somewhat human and then completely shutting you out. He's probably just getting used to the idea that he's changing. And, he's probably starting to realise that there are nice people that do care about people like him."

Ino clasped her hands together. "It's just like those romantic movies! The girl forever changes the boy's heart, and then they fall in love…"

"Okay, I am not in love with Neji." Unknowingly, Tenten's cheeks slightly coloured.

"Okay," Sakura replied, with her eyebrows raised and her voice disbelieving.

"No, honestly!"

"Whatever you say, Tenten."

"And my sources tell me that you're talking to Hiro, too," Ino added mischievously after drinking her beverage.

Tenten's cheeks flushed deeper. "W-where'd you hear that?"

"Like I said, sources. And since when do you stutter?"

"That only means it's true! Oh, how scandalous!" Sakura giggled. "So you're playing two Hyuugas, huh? Wow Tenten, that's the first I've ever heard."

Tenten stood up abruptly with her cheeks red and her head hung in defeat. "I am going to get some water!"

The two other girls laughed wholeheartedly. "We're only kidding, Tenten," Ino said, grinning. "Just some good hearted fun after being in the hospital for so long."

Tenten sat back down, especially noticing how some nearby people turned to look at her. "I know, I know, but still… So, is the hospital that bad?"

"Absolute torture."

"Well, not necessarily," Sakura corrected, glancing at Ino sternly as if to scold her for saying such things. "I mean, we both love helping people and everything, but Tsunade-sama is honestly working everyone to their limits."

Tenten nodded thoughtfully. "That's understandable…"

"Yes, we know, but she actually asked one of her medic ninjas to teach a group of regular ninjas so they can help out."

"Wait, doesn't she need ninjas?" Tenten asked. "There are still missions that need to be completed."

"Yeah, but she's trying cut off all outside sources. She's also keeping all of her people inside Konoha too—hence the lack of missions being assigned. It's surprising that she even let Hinata and Naruto and Kiba out on a mission today. I guess it must be really important. I mean, it has to be if she needed Naruto's strength, Hinata's Byakuugan _and_ Kiba's sense of smell."

Tenten shrugged. "Well, I guess all we can do now is trust Tsunade-sama."

"I guess."

"So how's Amaya? Did Tsunade-sama find a cure of some sort?"

"Tsunade-sama only discovered which antibodies the immune system could use to fight off the disease. But this only works when you aren't infected yet… and Tenten, you already know this, since we made you swallow those capsules whenever you entered the hospital." Sakura paused. "And Amaya, well…"

"She doesn't have much time," Tenten finished softly. She sighed. "Guess there are some things that even the greatest medic ninja can't cure."

"You never know!" Ino chirped cheerfully, but there was an underlying sense of hopelessness as well. For a moment, all three girls stared at their food dully. "So," the blonde added as an attempt to change subject, "did you find your necklace yet? After all, you are back in the same room."

"No. I tried for a while, but if Hinata couldn't find it using her Byakuugan, then what kind of chance do I have? Besides, it's been a while. I sort of got over it… and… I have this now." She pulled a tiny silver necklace out of her collared shirt and dangled the emerald pendant slightly. "I guess in a way, it's like telling me I have to let go of my past. Maybe, it's time for something new."

As Sakura nodded intelligently, Ino simply stared at the necklace, gaping at the tiny shimmery pendant. "Well, I hope this means something to you!" she exclaimed. "Oh my God. It's so pretty when it's out of the store! When did you get it?"

"Um, the day Neji came to apologise to me… and the night we had dinner altogether."

"Why didn't you show us then?" Ino exclaimed as if the brunette committed a crime. "This thing is priceless! Do you know how much it cost?"

It took a few moments before recognition flickered in Sakura's eyes. She turned to Ino. "Is that the—?" She turned back to Tenten, eyes wide. "Honestly, how did you afford it? Ino and I went shopping a few weeks ago and it was the most expensive one in the jewellery store! It would take months to save up money for that thing. Well, it depends on how rich you are, but still! Oh my God that thing is gorgeous."

Tenten was speechless at their reactions. "I-I'm sure that this is a faux."

"Do you have a certificate?"

"Um, maybe?" Tenten was flustered. As a side note to herself, she mumbled, "he should have told me before he gave it to me!"

A catlike grin spread across Ino's face when she caught that. "Who is 'he'?"

"H-hiro."

Tenten was positive the entire restaurant—or, at least everybody within a ten feet's distance—could hear Sakura and Ino's squeals. "_No way_!"

Tenten could only smile helplessly when certain people paused to look their way. In a way, she wished the two girls were more like Hinata. Hinata was much more conservative and quiet, and balanced out Sakura and Ino's loud personalities. She never noticed until now that Hinata was actually gone. Or maybe Tenten was too used to living with the Hyuugas.

"You guys," she said timidly, "a lot of people turned to look. You two are so loud."

Ino waved it off. "Oh, they turned for a second or two. No big deal." A smile graced her glossy lips after she swallowed down another bite of her meal. "I cannot believe that Hyuuga Hiro gave you such an expensive necklace. Tenten, I'm sorry, but he _so_ likes you."

"I agree with Ino. Tenten, even if he is filthy rich, he wouldn't just go and spend so much money on a necklace… for a girl."

Tenten shook her head. "What would he see in me? I'm just… there. And it's not like he was interested in me when I first got here. Nobody talked to me then."

Ino clucked her tongue. "That's probably because he doesn't want Neji to kill him in his sleep. I don't know much about Neji, but I'm pretty sure he's possessive of his woman."

"Okay, you guys seriously have to stop." Tenten counted off her fingers in slight annoyance. "First of all, Neji does not like me. Secondly, I don't like him. Is that enough proof that I'm not his woman? He just happens to not hate me as much now, because I'm not a bad person. Maybe I worked my butt off to prove to him that I'm not just some gold-digger or whatever everyone else thinks I am."

Sakura put her hands up in defeat. "Okay, Tenten, I won't argue with you anymore because"—she glanced at her watch—"Ino and I have to return back to the hospital in eight minutes."

Ino groaned. "Must I?"

"You must."

After saying their goodbyes and finishing up the rest of their meals, Tenten was left alone at the table. She ordered another drink and sipped on it slowly as she gazed out the window, not wanting to leave just yet.

There were so many things to think about—there was the usual about her wellbeing and memories returning, but now there was another thing to add to her burden. Her feelings were something she never really thought about. Always, whenever she thought about her soul mate—the someone she wanted to be with forever, she always imagined the scene to happen in the future. She always told herself that she would eventually find the right person, and honestly, in all the stories, whoever the girl first fell in love with was the person that would love her for the rest of her life. So once Tenten fell in love, she wouldn't have to worry about anything else, right?

It was fictional, but she wanted to believe in that. But what about her situation? There were two.

Wait, no, she quickly scolded herself. There was only Hiro, because he was the one that liked her. And even that was an assumption. Why did she suddenly think of Neji?

A hand suddenly appeared in her view. "Hello."

The voice was buttery and smooth, but sort of raspy at the same time. Tenten looked up in surprise, and as a natural response, she greeted him as well. "Hi."

"I noticed you from across the room."

The man who spoke to her was unfamiliar and looked like he was in his early twenties. He was dashingly handsome, in an offhanded way, but not in the sense that she was attracted to him. He was definitely confident about something though, as he comfortably seated himself across from her. He was very well dressed and polished, with his dark blue hair slicked back, his black shirt clean and crisp. He lowered his sunglasses to reveal his strikingly blue eyes.

"Do I know you?" Tenten couldn't help but ask.

"The name is Akio Takahashi."

The name rung a bell but she couldn't quite recall where she saw it. "Sorry, who?"

He stared at her for a moment. "Akio Takahashi." When he still received no response, he fished out a card from his wallet. "World's richest artist. I do everything, from painting portraits of famous figures to photographing the supermodels. You can find my works at almost any museum."

"Oh… really."

He raised an eyebrow. "You don't go out much, do you?"

"Not really."

"Well, it sure didn't seem like it when you were talking to those medic ninjas. Very social, very carefree, full of life…" He wasn't looking at her anymore—he was undoubtedly painting a picture of his future work in his mind. "I only came here to have dinner with a couple of my buddies, but an exceptionally loud squeal attracted my attention."

He didn't let her speak. "It was almost like an answer; for the past few weeks, I've been trying to capture something so beautiful, so innocent for my upcoming project—and the models simply won't do. They're too generic, too beautiful, too artificial… and they're all lacking something." He finally locked eyes with her. "Something that you, my friend, have."

Tenten blinked a couple of times. "What?"

"You're different." He tilted his head thoughtfully and scrutinised her. "You definitely aren't as beautiful as the models by today's standards. You also look a bit simple with plain brown eyes and hair. But you have lovely cheekbones, very high, and your nose is long and angular. Your face is almost fake… each feature is so perfectly placed, creating a beautiful image of symmetry. And most importantly… there's something about your… your aura and your soul that I can feel. Tortured, yet innocent and pure, and so willing to find trust and support in friends… but not in a lover." His eyes narrowed and his voice began to rise dramatically. "How intriguing… it makes me wonder. Were you abused in a relationship? Why so hesitant and in denial when it comes to men? Do you truly believe that you're too young, or are you trying to hide your feelings? Or maybe, you know that you're beyond mature for your age, and you do want a relationship, but you're too afraid to fall in too deep. Or maybe—"

"Um," Tenten interposed suddenly, her eyes wide. She was honestly starting to get scared. "No, I'm none of that. I'm just a plain girl. That is it. And if you'll excuse me, I'll be going now—"

"Okay, it's entirely my fault for loading you with all of that. In truth, you must know that I don't photograph just anybody. Yet I'm going to ask you to be the model for this big project. I need someone normal, who people can relate to yet they have to be intriguing and pretty in a discreet way."

"I'm sorry, I'm not beautiful and I can't model. I'll just be a waste of your time."

He shook his head. "No, even if you're not perfect, you're perfect for the job. I've been looking for weeks now. It's going to be great. I'll tell you what to do." He pulled out a check book. "Look, how much do you want? I can pay triple the amount."

"No, no, it's fine. I'll… think about it." She stood up. "I really must go now."

"Alright, I'll take that as an answer." He stood up as well, and held out his hand. "You have my card… if you decide to take up my offer, send me a letter of some sort in advance."

"Sure."

He left shortly, as he received a call that seemed quite urgent. Tenten ended up walking home alone, once again, gazing admiringly at the beautiful night. The freshly fallen snow that had accumulated on the trees and rooftop—it seemed as if the entire village was white and glistened under the soft moonlight. It was beautiful.

She reached into her pocket shortly before she reached the Hyuuga mansion and pulled out a tiny black box. It contained a thin silver chain that suspended a tiny silver sword. It was a tiny gift for Neji; she had picked that up before she arrived to the restaurant with Sakura and Ino. Now that she thought about it, this was probably the reason why the two medic ninjas teased Tenten so much about Neji, despite the fact that Tenten already explained how Neji deserved something after being exceptionally nice. It wasn't a prize of some sort. It was just a token of appreciation.

She began to have doubts when she entered the mansion, however. Somehow, under the dim lights of the sombre place, the gift suddenly seemed incredibly stupid and cheap. She didn't think it was ugly or stupid or cheap, but she was quite positive that Neji would. After all, he was nothing but practical and he had all the luxuries that she ever dreamed of. There was a reason as to why he regarded her as a poor peasant.

It wouldn't hurt to try though, right?

She headed straight to his room, actually quickening the pace of her walking. She was almost eager to see how he would react to her gift. It wasn't like her gift was marvellous or anything, but in a way, she wanted to talk to him, since he pretty much ignored her all day long.

She took a deep breath before she knocked quietly on his door. She knew he was in there; in fact, from all the quiet sounds she was hearing, she was quite positive that he was writing or reading a scroll of some sort. Plus, most Hyuugas didn't spend their time in their room like Neji did, so it was apparent that any sound had to have come from the prodigy's room.

"Neji," she said after a moment. "Neji, I know you're in there." Just as she was about to tell him she was going to intrude, the door slid open and Neji came into view. He was frowning and his eyes were hard and cold, but Tenten ignored this and greeted him with a huge smile.

"Hi Neji! I haven't seen you all day."

He raised his eyebrows and gestured towards the scroll he had in his hand, as if to say that he needed to read and didn't care about her trivial ramblings. He turned around and was about to leave when she suddenly pulled him back.

"Wait, Neji! I… I just wanted to give you this." She handed him a tiny, black satin box with a white ribbon bow on the lid. "I got it today, and I thought that you might like it."

He raised an eyebrow as he eyed the box in his hands. This feeling… was so foreign.

"Open it!"

He raised an eyebrow as he undid the bow. "And what am I supposed to return?"

Tenten smiled. "You know, you can receive something without giving something else in return. I just thought it suited you."

Neji didn't respond and opened the box dully. He showed no interest at first, but when he saw what Tenten had gotten for him, a mixture of surprise and something else flickered in his eyes. Carefully, he lifted it out of the box and scrutinised it as if it were an ancient artefact. "It's…"

Tenten stared at the floor and waited for the rest in anticipation. Did he like it? Did he now think of her as another one of his female followers? Maybe she should explain that it was out of appreciation for him. No, even she thought that excuse was lame.

"It's not real," he said finally.

"Oh."

Tenten was going to say something after that, but she figured that there was no point in hiding her disappointment. But then again, there was no reason for her to feel sad. What else would he say? It wasn't like him to thank her anyways. Besides, didn't he normally get gifts from other girls on a weekly basis?

"It's supposed to give you luck," the embarrassed brunette explained hastily. "That's what the lady there told me. I figured since you have a tournament coming up anyways, you could use a little help. Not that you're weak or anything, but…" She scratched the back of her head. "Um, do you like it?"

"Why does my opinion matter, when it's not practical or useful?" Neji put it back into its packaging and tossed carelessly it onto his desk. "If it's not real, then it's not durable. It'll only break after a short amount of time, the colour will fade, and it won't be worth any kind of money."

Anger immediately flashed in Tenten's narrowed eyes. "Neji, when someone gives you a gift, you're supposed to thank them, regardless of the present's value or quality. Fine, even if you don't thank me, you don't have to insult the gift that I spent my own money on!" She spun around quickly, definitely upset that the ungrateful boy ruined her entire day. "Goodnight."

When she quickly disappeared into her room, Neji eyed the black satin box wearily. The lid had fallen off when he tossed it. He didn't mean to throw it so carelessly, but it was necessary. In truth, he did find the necklace very cheap and plain, but there was a lot of sentimental value to it. Tenten was obviously not rich, yet she spent her own money on something that she did not benefit from. Why… why was she so nice? And why did he regard Tenten's present as something more valuable and important than any other girl's present?

He couldn't possibly be attracted to her. He couldn't.

But her kindness… it was simply too overwhelming. He didn't want to be with her, yet around her presence he was calm and much more at peace. He didn't want to hurt her, but he wanted to get rid of her. He knew she had done nothing wrong—in fact, she was exceptionally nice by handing him a gift, but he was rude enough to dismiss it and anger her. He knew it was wrong, and it was virtually impossible to ignore the guilt.

But this was what he wanted to do, right? The whole point of this was to push her away and keep his life intact and focused. That was what he wanted more than anything else, and he was fine with sacrificing anything for that.

So why was it turning out to be so hard?

-

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**A/N:** Sorry for the incredibly late update. I think everybody pretty much forgot what happened… so sorry! Also, I posted this chapter up without waiting for my beta to edit it… and on top of it, I rushed through this chapter. So I'm sorry if it's full of mistakes & if there are words missing. I tend to do that a lot.

Believe it or not, I actually had half of the chapter written before Christmas, and was about to make the 'present' a Christmas thing. Oh well… I guess not then! I think I'll just skip all the holidays… just pretend that they don't exist in Konoha! I don't think they do anyways…

Reviews are greatly appreciated! :)

Chigiri


	17. Chapter Seventeen: Past

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything of Naruto.

**Destined to Love  
**_By: Chigiri Sasaki _

Summary: He was a prodigy, with a damaged past and no future. She was a commoner, with a hidden secret. Strung together by fate, it was only a matter of time before she changed his life forever. [AU, NejiTen]

**Chapter Seventeen**

"_Neji, you cover the northern area of the forest," a voice ordered. The deep voice belonged to a man, almost twice his height. _

_Neji, aged nine, nodded without hesitation. Not only was he determined to prove that he was worthy, he was also intimidated by the ninja that spoke. The tall man was dressed in a long, dark cloak, his face covered by a white mask with red stripes on the side. He barely moved as he proceeded to give orders to the rest of the four man team. _

_The young Hyuuga could only stare at the other members in admiration. They were all so tall, all so strong and knowledgeable. It was simply luck, him being part of this B-ranked mission. It was clearly for those who were experienced—not for nine year olds like him, who didn't even graduate from the academy yet. _

_However, that being said, Neji was the smartest and the strongest of his entire generation. His father's death and his mother's disappearance shaped his perspective and motivated him to do nothing but train. As a result, he became an impassive fighting machine, even at such a young age. He never gave up. It was that perseverance that convinced the Hokage to let him be part of this scouting mission. _

"_If someone finds our target, you know the signal," the leader continued in his deep, smooth voice. "Go!" _

_They all ran off in different directions. Neji was slightly slower than the other ninjas, but the speed difference was only visible to a trained eye. He ran as fast as he could go, feeling the wind blow against his face. His Byakuugan was activated. _

_Then, in the silent forest, he heard something strange. He slowed down, so that there weren't even the sounds of leaves crunching under his feet. As he approached the source of the noises, he realised that they were muffled sobs. _

_It was a tiny girl, with brown hair tied into two buns on top of her head. She was leaning against a tree, hugging her knees and crying into them. She looked so forlorn and sad that Neji felt the urge to ask her what was wrong. However, his conscience snapped him out of it and he fingered the hilt of his sword. Looks were deceiving. She could very well be the enemy, simply disguised as a young girl to fool the equally young, inexperienced boy. It seemed like a reasonable tactic, since Neji was the weakest out of the entire team. _

_For a few minutes, the Hyuuga prodigy stood there in an offensive stance, waiting for the girl to look up and fight him. _

_However, she never did and Neji sighed in relent. There was no use in letting her stay here, was there? It was already night, and the weather forecast predicted a storm. Besides, he had that smoke bomb in his back pocket; if he ever needed help, he could easily activate it. _

_Neji approached her cautiously, with his sword still in hand. In a soft voice, he asked, "what's wrong?"_

_The girl finally looked up. She was very pretty, despite her tearstained cheeks and bloodshot eyes. She eyed him warily, but then she noticed his weapons. She instantly wiped her tears and inched closer to the tree behind her. "W-what do you want?" _

"_I don't want to harm you," he said quickly. "I'm on a mission." _

"_To do w-what?"_

"_I'm supposed to find people who are attacking Konoha from the sidelines." He frowned suddenly as realisation hit him. "Did you see them? Are they the reason why you're crying?"_

"_No," the girl said before he jumped into any more conclusions. She sat back into the position she was in before, quickly deciding that he wouldn't hurt her. And even if he did, it was alright; she didn't know anything, not even the name of her parents or where she was born. What point was there left in life? Tears sprung to her eyes once more. _

"_Don't cry," Neji said stiffly. _

"_Why shouldn't I?" the young girl retorted, her voice cracking. "I'm lost! I don't know who I am, who my parents are, where I am, I don't know where I came from, I—" She let out a choked sob and continued to cry. "I don't want to live anymore!" _

"_Don't say that," the Hyuuga prodigy said suddenly. "And you're not lost. You're in Konoha."_

"_What's that?" _

"_A place. And what do you mean, by you don't know who you are?"_

"_I can't remember anything! I don't even know how I got here. I just woke up. A bunch of people brought me here, I think." She thrashed her arms wildly. "I don't care! I want to go home! This is just a bad dream… this is a bad dream…" _

_Neji kneeled in front of her. He grabbed both of her hands and steadied them. "Stop. You're going to attract attention from the attackers that are lurking nearby. Then, you won't be able to live even if you want to."_

_She instantly stopped, to his relief. "But that's okay," she said after a moment, "because you'll protect me, right?"_

_He looked at her oddly for a moment. What a strange girl. _

"_You'll protect me, right?" she repeated after a pause. _

_He nodded slowly, willing to do just about anything to silence this girl. "Right." _

_The doubt in her large brown eyes were replaced with joy. "Okay! So, tell me, what's your name?" _

"_I'll tell you if you tell me yours."_

_She pouted her lips. "But I don't know mine!"_

"_Exactly." _

_Then, her features changed. Her hair turned a few shades darker, now in a high ponytail. Her nose became longer and more angular, her large brown eyes grew darker, and her lips were suddenly fuller. The scene changed too. They were no longer in the forest; they were now undoubtedly in a different country, in a secluded place with just them two. The sky was a dark grey and raindrops pelted down at them. He was drenched within seconds. _

_In front of him stood his former teammate, Akira. She stared at him coolly, squarely in the eye. "Don't try to stop me, Neji. You can't do that, especially in your state." _

_He was now aware of the pain that throbbed at his leg and his arms. His clothes were soaked as well—whether it was from the rain or his blood, he didn't know. _

"_Leave, Neji. I don't want to kill you." _

"_I can stop you, in any condition." _

_She cocked her head to the side, smirking smugly. "You're underestimating me, Hyuuga."_

"_I'm not. I know you wouldn't betray Konoha. You wouldn't hurt your own teammate, either." _

_Her eyes tightened for a moment. "It's not by choice," she whispered finally. Then, in a fraction of a second, she drew her sword and plunged it into his chest. Momentarily losing his ability to stand up, his knees gave way and he collapsed to the ground. He could feel the warm blood spilling out. He felt cold and lightheaded, unable to see or feel or hear properly anymore. His body and mind was losing consciousness fast, and he knew that very well. He completely gave up in trying to get back up. But somehow, he felt the need to keep his eyes open. As long as he kept them open, he would still have hope in staying alive… _

_He had to open his eyes…_

"Neji, open your eyes!"

At the warm, familiar voice, Neji's eyes snapped open. To his relief, he finally gained all of his senses back. He was now aware of the fruity aroma that floated in the air, the sweet, light voice, and most of all, the large brown eyes stared at him curiously. Realising their proximity, he immediately rolled out of bed. He glared at the intruder. Why was she in his room? Did he let her? Did she think that she was so important she could barge into his room whenever she pleased?

"Neji," Tenten said, startled by his reaction. "Are you alright?"

"Why are you in my room?"

"Well, I woke up this morning, and then I heard you talking in your sleep. You sounded like you were in pain, so I came over."

"I don't talk in my sleep." After a moment, he added, "what exactly did you hear?"

"I only heard little fragments, and even those weren't coherent."

Neji scrutinised her carefully. There was a mixture of doubt, shock and worry in her eyes—it was subtle, but she was definitely lying. She heard what he said. He was a light sleeper, but from time to time, he would replay pieces of his memories in his sleep. Those memories were usually the ones that he remembered best. And since he knew them well, he would somehow recite the lines aloud. It was a bad habit of his; that was actually how his teammates Lee and Akira learned about his past. He didn't actually tell them; he told them when he was asleep.

Why was he dreaming about his first encounter with Tenten, anyway? Was it because she gave him a gift the night before? And then, he remembered the last time he saw Akira as his teammate. The memories stayed crystal clear, despite all these years.

He glanced quickly at her. She seemed normal. Yet, he could tell she was unsettled, as if she was thinking really hard. Did she figure out? Did she figure out that he was the boy that provided her comfort years ago?

"Well, you seem to be fine now," Tenten suddenly said, slightly flustered. "I j-just wanted to say that… um, Tsunade-sama wants to see you. She wants to make sure that you're okay after that nasty fight." She didn't quite want to mention who he had engaged in a battle with.

"I don't need it. I'm fine," he said shortly. "Tsunade-sama has her own business to deal with."

"Just go, please. This is for your health."

He fell silent, suddenly remembering his plan to get rid of this silly, ignorant girl. He simply gestured to his door, silently telling her to leave and walk out of his life forever. Sure, he would be disobeying the orders of his uncle, but at this point, he was almost desperate. Anything was better than having this girl ruining his life. Everything seemed to be different with her around. He had agreed to go _shoe_ shopping with her—was that not enough proof that he had become unworthy of the Hyuuga name?

Tenten put her hands up in defeat. "Alright, alright, I'll go. Just remember, I got a notice this morning. All ninjas are to help out at the hospital. Apparently, there are too many patients coming in. Those are Tsunade-sama's orders." Seeing that he still did not respond, she sighed and left the room.

She was glad, in a way, that Neji was this cold. That just proved how he could never be the boy that helped her out years ago. It scared her, at the beginning; she woke up to hear him recite a few lines that sounded uncannily familiar. But to her great relief, he then began to mumble something about betrayal and hurting a teammate. It didn't even occur to her that he could have been talking about Akira.

Not that she didn't want Neji to be that special person she cherished in her heart. It was just that, she imagined the boy to grow up to be a great, inspiring, strong young man—Neji was simply cold and tiring.

She had long figured that that boy was a Hyuuga. Only they possessed such hauntingly beautiful moonlight eyes. She never knew before, though, roaming around the different villages in the country, until she came across the leaf village. And when she entered the Hyuuga household, she was ecstatic—she thought that she would surely find him again. She swore she found him when she laid her eyes on Neji, but then he flatly said that he didn't know who she was.

Technically, it could be anyone in the clan—they all looked somewhat alike. But then again, she didn't know much. For all she knew, he could be dead by now. Wasn't he on a dangerous mission when he found her? He was still such a young boy then. Since then, he could have gone and gotten himself killed.

From her room, she could hear Neji exiting his.

She smiled slightly. At least he took what she said into consideration.

* * *

Neji cursed to himself as he walked down the street, shoving his hands into his pockets. He felt the cold seep into his clothes and his breaths came out in little puffs. Why didn't he choose to wear something warmer? It was dawn, when the sun had barely risen, and it was the middle of winter. Well, Konoha's winters were short and not all that cold, and Neji was pretty much immune to everything, but he still preferred the warmth.

It was abnormally quiet. No one was in sight; he thought that he would at least see the elderly couple that lived down the street. For as long as he could remember, they got up every morning to watch the sunset on their balcony together. They were always there, in any kind of weather. But they weren't here today.

He vaguely remembered what Hiashi had been mumbling about the other day. Something about an epidemic that attacked mostly the young and the elderly. Wasn't that also what Ino was implying the last time he and Tenten visited Amaya? She even made sure that they swallowed a pill before going anywhere.

It surprised him when he entered the hospital. Unlike the lifeless streets, the hospital was full and crowded with patients. It made him nauseous, going in. He smelled sweat, blood and vomit among many other unpleasant stenches. There were doctors and nurses running about, cries and yells were heard, people were being rushed into the emergency room, and papers were scattered and flying about everywhere.

"Hyuuga," a voice suddenly said.

Neji turned around to see Uchiha Sasuke standing by the hospital door. He was holding a large jar of white and black capsules. Beside him was Naruto, who was standing by a large water dispenser and five large stacks of disposable cups.

"Tsunade-sama told us to give one to every visitor," he explained dully, as if he had said this many times before. He probably did.

"It's supposed to give you immunity to the new disease that's going around," Naruto added. "Seriously, it's starting to scare me."

"Everything scares you, you idiot."

"Why you!"

"It's different," Neji stated in an attempt to prevent their annoying bickering. "Last time, the pill was much smaller. And I swallowed one before. Aren't I protected by now?"

"Yes, but Tsunade-sama makes everyone take it anyway. And it's different because the bacteria is always changing," Sasuke said, pausing momentarily. "Why are you here, anyway?"

"Check-up."

Naruto snorted. "There are much more pressing matters than your check-up. Obviously you're fine." On a more serious note, he added, "you know, Chouji and Shikamaru are all now hospitalised. Apparently, something happened to them during our mission. They all came in yesterday."

Neji raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I'm aware of that. If they're all sick, then why aren't you, Uzumaki? You were part of that mission."

Naruto shrugged. "I've got superpowers."

"Idiot." Neji left the two younger ninjas, as they had to serve other visitors. They came in abundance, which made Neji's brows furrow. The hospital was usually crowded, but most of the patients were ninjas that were injured during missions. However, now, instead of ninjas coming in, commoners and villagers filled the hospital. What was up with this new epidemic? It seemed to be everywhere.

"Daddy, make it go away," he heard a little girl cry to her father. She was then thrown into a fit of coughing. Neji caught sight of the tissue she coughed into; there were specks of blood on it. Perturbed, he turned to the counter at the front.

"Hyuuga Neji," he said to the distressed receptionist. "I'm here for my examinations."

"Right," the lady said, running a hand through her tousled hair. It looked like she didn't get much sleep for the past few days. She quickly filed through some documents, pulled out a few sheets and handed them to the prodigy. "Here. Wait in room 304, in the F wing. A doctor will come shortly."

"Why does he get a room so quickly?" the middle-aged man behind Neji shouted. "My daughter is the one who's sick! He looks completely fine!"

"Save my son instead!" another woman exclaimed.

The Hyuuga could hear similar complaints by the other people in the lobby. He could hear the receptionist yelling over all their voices, explaining how their children's disease was different and needed special care in a different area of the hospital.

Neji was glad that their voices and the ruckus faded as he walked down the east wing of the hospital. It was beginning to bother him. Back at the Hyuuga household, everything was much more calm and organised. If he didn't leave the mansion this morning, he would have never realised what a mess Konoha was in.

He called the first person that passed by. "Haruno."

Sakura was running; she stopped short when she caught sight of Neji. "Neji-san," she said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

He held up his sheets. "I was asked to return for a check-up."

"Oh, right." She ushered him into the room. "I'll just run some tests quickly."

She performed them rather quickly; professionalism was evident in her movements as she checked for various factors. Still, Neji couldn't help but feel that she was skipping certain examinations to save time. Why were they all so stressed out?

"And that's it!" Sakura said finally, scribbling some final notes. "You're good to go. You didn't have to come in, really. You were fine when you first left the hospital. You must be dying to train by now."

"So I could've been training for the past week?" He didn't mention the fact that he started training yesterday; he had done so because he was tired of having nothing to do for a week. Instead, he had dinner with people, visited a sick girl in the hospital and went shoe shopping with Tenten.

His irritation was so evident all of a sudden and Sakura laughed nervously. "Well, it was best if you didn't. You shouldn't be so reckless with training, even if the tournament is this week. Your wellbeing is the most important of all. No silly title is worth putting your life on the line."

"I'm aware of that."

Sakura tilted her head questioningly for a moment. Neji wasn't being exactly nice to her, but something about the way he responded indicated that he was different. He even stayed long enough to listen to her chiding about his training habits. What exactly did Tenten do?

"Sakura!" Ino's familiar voice suddenly shouted into her earpiece. "Sakura, do you hear me?"

"Yes, Ino," Sakura cried exasperatedly into her mouthpiece. "What is it?"

"Come over to room 205. You have to watch the patient until Tsunade-sama comes and takes a look at them."

"What? Yamazi-san was the first one she wanted to check today. Where is she, then?" Sakura momentarily eyed Neji, who was now gazing expectantly at her, as if waiting for her approval to leave. Quickly, she handed him his medical sheets, circled the area he needed to sign, and dismissed him with a wave. She locked the door on her way out, and began heading towards the forbidden area of the hospital—the area where patients with the new, unknown disease resided. "Ino? You still there?"

"Yeah," said blonde said after a pause. There was a long beeping noise on the other line. "What was I saying? Oh, right. Tsunade-sama is in the tower. She's reading Kakashi-sensei's and Kurenai-sensei's report from their missions. You know, she sent them and their teams to find the roots of the plague."

"Yes, I know that. Except with Kakashi-sensei, she sent Chouji and Shikamaru to replace me and Sasuke."

"Right. And—" Ino paused. She mumbled something incoherent to who Sakura guessed to be a patient. "They both went on the same night, but at different times. Kurenai-sensei's team left after being ambushed by a group of Jounins. Kakashi-sensei's team, who came a few hours later, made it a little further, but weren't so lucky."

"They came back to Konoha, all infected by the disease, with the exception of Naruto," Sakura finished, sighing. "I know, Ino. That's nothing new."

"Yeah, well, I bet you don't know that Tsunade-sama's sending a third group. Apparently, Gai-sensei and his team are going next. She's even considering Asuma-sensei and Hyuuga Hiashi-sama."

This took Sakura by surprise. "What?" she exclaimed. "No matter how strong Neji and Lee are, they're going get killed in the process. And they're even missing a member since Akira left us years ago. There are other ninjas that are older and more experienced. Why not send those?"

"That's because they're busy guarding Konoha. There might be an infiltration. We can't afford to lose any valuable members… we saw what happened to Chouji and Shikamaru."

Sakura sighed dejectedly. "What is Tsunade-sama thinking?"

* * *

For the next few days, it was rather uneventful. Tenten couldn't help but sigh as she sat by her window, gazing at the tiny snowflakes that had accumulated on the edge of the windowsill. It was still early in the morning—she only woke up because she started to shiver from the cold. She had, yet again, another dreamless night; she was beginning to wonder why there was such a long interval between each activated memory, and why they were so short. She wanted to go back to bed, but after rolling around for an hour or so, she decided that her efforts were useless.

So she sat by the window, staring at the grey sky and the soft, fluffy snow that fell from it. It was relaxing, to simply sit and not do anything. Actually, that was pretty much what she had done for the past few days—most of the time, she just sat, not doing anything but thinking. Neji had spent all his time simply training, and since he had ignored her every attempt to strike up a conversation, she had given up and just went back to her room. She couldn't go out either—ever since Sasuke came by with a week's supply of immunity pills and warned them about some new epidemic, Hiashi had strict orders to keep everyone within the Hyuuga estate. Everybody obeyed without hesitation, since most of them were not keen on being contaminated and spreading the disease to the rest of the clan. Hiashi kept strict tabs on the people who did have to go in and out—people like himself, who were ordered by Tsunade. The maids were also forced to take daily doses of medicine, since they didn't live here.

Yet despite the orders to keep everybody in, the Hyuuga mansion was eerily quiet and empty. Everybody seemed to have disappeared. Most of the Hyuugas were either taking advantage of the new epidemic to catch up on some rest or they were out by Tsunade's orders. Her friend Hiro, the handsome boy who gave her an expensive necklace, was one of the people who were protecting Konoha and watching the main gates.

Hinata, who had nothing to do, had accepted Tsunade's request to help out at the hospital. Tenten heard that there were a lot of rooms where three or four patients stayed in, some even sharing a bed. They were also short of doctors and nurses, which was the reason why Tsunade had asked help from Hinata and some other trustworthy ninjas.

Tenten wondered why Tsunade kept everything so secretive. Most of the village by now knew about the epidemic, as a lot of people were starting to get sick. But despite their pleas, the hospital's doctors and nurses kept mum about the unknown disease's origins, what progress Tsunade had made finding the cure, and what she was doing by rejecting all missions, depriving Konoha of its main source of income.

Tenten sighed. She had no one to talk to—she didn't know how she was going to amuse herself for the rest of the day. Naturally, if she had a choice to go out, she would have gone right out to visit Amaya at the hospital. She had grown to be fond of the little blonde girl with the bright cerulean eyes. She was so young and innocent with such a promising future, but she was dying from brain tumours. Why she was still trapped in the hospital, Tenten didn't know.

The brunette didn't even know if Amaya was being cured at all. She had brain tumours, so couldn't they have used chemotherapy? Clearly, Amaya had all of her hair, which meant that they didn't try that method. But why?

Money couldn't have been the problem. Indeed, Amaya was an orphan, but she was taken in by the Tanaka's, who owned the largest medicinal herbs store in all of Konoha. Vaguely, Tenten also remembered that the apothecary, who she had met before in town, and his wife were hospitalised as well. They came in a week or two after Amaya, which was when Tenten first visited her. And then, a few days later, more and more people started to come in. It was sort of strange, actually. It all started somewhere near then.

Tenten closed her eyes to think harder. There must have been a connection somewhere, something that was the key element that led to the epidemic.

Tenten retraced her trail of thoughts, back to the fact that Amaya had brain tumours. When the brunette first met her, Ino and Sakura mentioned that Amaya had the typical tumours. But then, they also added that Amaya's case was a little strange. That was the first hint that had led Tenten to think. The brunette had long suspected that the eight year old had the unknown illness; her assumption was only confirmed when Ino gave her a pill to swallow more than two weeks ago—it was during the time when Tenten was still staying over at Ino's. In fact, the blonde had even let it slip that the wing of the hospital they were in was for patients with a 'special' case.

Was that why they wouldn't put Amaya through chemotherapy? Was it because on top of her brain tumours, there was something else and they didn't know how it would react to it? It sort of made sense. Yet, they probably could've killed off the blob—or whatever form the bacteria took—with chemotherapy. The strong, concentrated waves would've finished off whatever was in there, unless the virus had the ability to spread through the entire body.

Tenten groaned. It was too confusing, and literally mind-blowing, since she had no information to form a base with. There were countless possibilities. If she just knew some basic information—but she didn't, since the hospital kept every piece of information within the pale, white building. She was even considered lucky, because Ino and Sakura were her friends and told her a little bit more since she visited Amaya so often.

What were the origins, though? Theoretically, it all started with Amaya. Amaya was the first one Tenten had heard of that possessed the strange new disease. Yet, her foster parents were sick as well—Amaya's brain couldn't have simply conjured some bacteria that had spread to her parents, brain tumours or not. So it must have been some outside source. It couldn't have been the kids from academy, if Amaya really was the first one to have it. Then it must have been something else, something elsewhere, like her home, or her parent's store—

The medicine that the Tanaka's owned in their large store. There was definitely something in it.

Before she could crack a triumphant grin, there was a soft knock at her door. Immediately knowing who it was, Tenten said, "come in." A dark brown-haired woman in her early thirties came in, and gave a slight bow to Tenten, timidly greeting her. She then laid a pile of freshly washed clothes on the table by the large closet. Without another word, she began hanging or placing each article of clothing to its assigned spot.

Tenten immediately stood up. "Here, I'll do it."

The woman, with slightly round eyes, shook her head slightly. "Thank you, Tenten-sama, but I cannot let you do so much work. You helped me last time already."

"Oh, that was just once. Here, let me do it," the brunette insisted, almost forcefully taking the hanger and shirt out of the maid's hand. Tenten could see the dark, hollow socket under the woman's eyes—clearly, she hadn't slept much. "It's the least I can do."

The woman smiled slightly, but there was genuine gratefulness in her eyes. "Thank you, Tenten-sama."

Tenten smiled at how sincere she was. Yet at the same time, she seemed so tired, so constantly worried about something. Tenten didn't know much about her—in fact, she had no clue as to what her name was, but the brunette knew for sure that the maid didn't live here. Actually, most of the maids didn't live here. They only served during the daytime, and left when the hired guards came at night. The only maids Tenten knew of that stayed here were the ones who served the best and were only kept in case of an emergency during the night.

Tenten watched as the timid woman scurried out of the room. She couldn't help but wonder what was wrong. Family issues, perhaps?

She couldn't really ponder any further, as the maid suddenly re-entered her room a few moments later. She smiled slightly, almost apologetically. "I'm sorry to disrupt again, but Hiashi-sama has requested to meet you in the main dining room."

Surprise flickered in Tenten's eyes. "Really? When?"

"Now."

"Oh!" Slightly shocked, Tenten followed the maid out of the room and headed towards the dining room. It was rather strange, actually, seeing that Hiashi was usually out and helping Tsunade with whatever he could do. And why was he calling her, at such an early time?

She found him sitting at the largest, most adorned head chair, eyes closed. The long, smooth, marble like wooden table looked spotless, reflecting the light of the chandelier that shone above. The clan head, despite his tired appearance, was alert and opened his eyes at the sound of her footsteps. His eyes crinkled into a paternal smile. "Good morning, Tenten."

"Good morning, Hiashi-sama," Tenten greeted happily, grinning. The thought of bowing never crossed her mind anymore; not that she was disrespectful, but he felt like such a fatherly figure to her she stopped bowing to him a week and a half after her first arrival. Not that he seemed to mind, anyway.

"I hope I did not wake you up too early," he said, "but I must leave especially early today. Duty calls."

"I was already awake," Tenten reassured quickly. "So why did you call me here?"

"I want to pay you. It has been over a month, yet I have not fulfilled my end of the deal." He put his hand into the pocket of his robe and fished out a dark velvet pouch, closed off at the top by a silver ribbon. He tugged at the ends of it, loosening the knot and revealing its contents. He handed it to her. "I hope this is sufficient."

For a moment, Tenten could only gape at the large wad of bills that the bag contained. She could swear that he didn't offer this much when he first consulted her with regards of the advertisement he saw of her. It was so tempting, to simply accept it, thank him and walk away—all that money was for her to take and for her to spend. But her conscience took over just in time and she handed it back to a surprised Hiashi.

"I… I can't take this," she said finally. "It hasn't even been a month yet. And I left for a few weeks while I was supposed to be here. And I'm eating the food that was given for free, I have free maid service…"

"Please, Tenten. Accept this. You have done wonders to Neji. For the past few days, he has been so pleasant to be around with."

"I honestly didn't do much, Hiashi-sama." And should she mention that he ignored her for the past week? She suddenly recalled the way he reacted to her gift and her shoulders slumped slightly. "And even if he did change the slightest bit, he's still not as nice as any other regular person."

"Yes, but you are more effective than anyone else. I tried everything, from volunteering him for camps so he could interact with kids to planning gatherings and dinners for him and his teammates. He wasn't interested in anything."

"You make him sound like an object—like a puzzle of some sort."

Hiashi chuckled softly. "I wish he was an enigma that I could figure out. There really isn't anyone like him out there. No one colder, no one harsher… well, with a few exceptions of course. But truly, he has seen too much as a mere sixteen year old. Even within the Hyuuga clan, it's rare to find someone of a similar deposition at Neji's age."

Tenten nodded understandingly, ruminating over his words. She wanted to know about Neji's past, but the Hyuuga prodigy didn't even want to glance at her. Could she possibly pry it out of the clan head?

"Is there something you would like to ask me?" he asked pleasantly, as if he read her mind.

"Um… yeah." Looking up at the venerable leader, she asked quietly, "what happened to Neji?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"As in his past," the brunette said softly. Her words were thoughtful as she recollected her memories of him. "He's always so cold, he always reprimands people when they're not strong, he looks down upon people, yet I can tell that he's hurting inside. He's always talking about fate, how I'm fated to be a commoner, and how things just aren't meant to be. I also noticed that I have never seen his parents. At first, I thought that they were on a long mission of some sort, but Neji seems too bitter about something. And I once heard him say something about the main family. He also always uses terminals when addressing a Hyuuga, when he doesn't use them with other people. Why is that?"

"And then," she continued without giving him a chance to speak, "I heard about Akira, his teammate, but everybody doesn't want to tell me the entire story behind it, as if it's taboo. Did she betray him or something?"

Hiashi closed his eyes when she finally stopped. "Ah, you're an observant one," he commented. "Well, I suppose you must know a little bit of Neji's background." He reopened his eyes and they were surprisingly distant. "Neji was left without parents at the mere age of four. And the loss of his parents, which he blamed on the clan, shaped his entire perspective."

Tenten's eyes widened. "But why would he blame it on the clan?"

"Ah, that, you should ask Neji himself, for I am not the person to tell you this. In time, Neji will reveal things to you. Just be patient." He cleared his throat. "This brings me to my point. I have a favour—well, it is part of your job—to ask of you."

Tenten tilted her head questioningly.

"Tenten, the Elders are planning to get Neji married once more. They have found another worthy candidate—from the rice country, this time. Last time, Neji was lucky because his fiancée turned out to be an enemy. The marriage was therefore delayed, but that wasn't the result of my efforts. I am positive I cannot stop the Elders this time, not when I have been agreeing to this tradition many times before." Hiashi eyed the brunette carefully. "You have a few weeks left, Tenten. There are only a few weeks left before I have to officially engage Neji to the new candidate. She will come here soon, with the intention of befriending Neji. However…"

The brunette waited in anticipation.

"However, Neji will never be happy. No matter how wonderful this new woman might be, he will always hold a resentment against her. To his eyes, if he accepts her, then he'll be conforming to the Hyuuga clan and its tradition. He thinks his purpose in life is to serve the clan and its reputation—and in some ways, it very much seems like it—but at the same time, he's trying to rebel against the clan because he holds a grudge against it."

"I'm confused," Tenten said after a moment.

"There is no need to understand, but simply, let Neji see a different side of the world. Continue what you've been doing and I'll be satisfied."

"Yes, but lately, he has been really cold again," Tenten blurted out. "He's been ignoring me, no matter how hard I try and it's really starting to frustrate me. You should be the one talking to him, and making him change because he respects you so much. He thinks I'm just some commoner that's bothering him." After a moment, she added, "I apologise for my rashness."

"No, you're wrong, Tenten. He respects the Hyuuga clan because he has to—he is bound by contract. However, despite his loyalty, he holds nothing but remorse for me and the clan. After what happened years ago, he blames the clan for his suffering. You're the only hope."

Even after Hiashi left, Tenten continued to ponder over his words. She was now sitting on her bed, looking directly through her open door and at the door that would lead into Neji's room. She was still surprised. More than a month ago, she had put up a flyer because she was willing to do almost anything for money. She accepted this peer tutor job, because she had heard about the Hyuuga clan and wanted to see what it was like. She also knew that it would be a good opportunity to socialise, since a lot of people in the clan were her age.

Yet, Hiashi was so solemn and sombre today, literally pleading her out of desperation. Only after today did she finally start to feel the pressure and the weight of her responsibility. Hiashi, the man who was known for his strength and abilities, was counting and depending on a silly, nameless girl like her.

When had this seemingly simple peer tutoring job become something much more serious?

And surprisingly, after thinking about this stubborn prodigy she was now especially determined to change, she drifted off to a deep sleep.

By the time she woke up again, it was late afternoon. This took Tenten by surprise, as she hardly slept this much; she was a light sleeper and usually woke up to the sounds of footsteps or even the wind howling. And as of recently, she started to remember fragments of her past, and those memories' vividness usually shocked her out of her sleep. Yet, today, she had slept peacefully. Now she was rejuvenated and surprisingly happy; it felt like she had caught up on a week's worth of sleep.

However, it was already dark, to her dismay. The sun barely peeked through the snowy clouds. It was literally night, now, and she had missed out on a whole day of changing Neji. She had been so determined after her conversation with Hiashi. She rolled out of bed, splashed her face with some cold water, and went out into the training grounds. That was the one place where she would always find him. He was so devoted to training.

For the past week, Neji had refrained from practicing, since Ino had advised him not to do any strenuous exercise after his fight with Akira. The prodigy obeyed the orders for about six days, until he started again. And ever since he went to the hospital a few days ago and got Sakura's permission, he had been training nonstop.

Tenten found him panting, laying on the ground. His hair was loose from its low ponytail and his white Hyuuga robes were stained with the brown soil. His eyes were closed, but they suddenly snapped open when he heard her approaching.

"Hi, Neji!" A smile sprung to her lips, but she stopped halfway when she saw the damage he had caused. The large clearing that the Hyuuga owned for training purposes had craters and dents of all sorts. Neji cleared the ground of any plant life. She suspected that the completely destroyed fence was his doing as well.

Her eyes rounded as she turned back to Neji. "Well, looks like you had fun wasting all that energy."

Neji turned his head away, ignoring her completely. Why wouldn't she go away? His plan worked for the past few days. He got her to go back to her room every time. What made her think that this time was any different? Honestly, she should simply realise the truth and return to where she came from.

"So, did you come up with any new attacks? I'm sure the opponents in your upcoming tournament are strong," Tenten continued. She had to make some kind of progress—besides, she was eager to get Neji to talk to her. He was nice, for a period of time, when she first came back to the Hyuuga estate. Where did that person go?

"You want a training partner?" she asked, trying again. "I can be some help. Training by yourself will only train your attacks. What about your defence skills?"

Before she could pester him about anything else, she heard a smooth, silky voice cut in. "Hyuuga Neji, why are you ignoring such a lovely young lady?"

Neji stiffened and immediately stood up upon hearing the voice. He, although glared at the intruder, spat out, "Hiro-sama."

"H-hyuuga-san!" Tenten stammered, taken back by his sudden appearance—she didn't even notice him coming in, let alone the fact that he was standing right behind her. "What are you doing here? I thought you were still out."

He gave her a lazy grin. "Tsunade-sama let all the Hyuugas leave early today. Besides, we guard during the morning, and the other clans take over the night shifts."

"Why are you here?" Neji asked suddenly. "You don't train here."

"True, but I still have rights to every training area that the Hyuugas own. You don't."

At this, Neji silenced and Tenten couldn't help but wonder what was going on. Why did Hiro seem like an authority figure to Neji? If she couldn't pry it out of Hiashi, then she'd simply try Hinata or the rest of her friends.

"But you're right, Neji," Hiro continued smoothly, as if noticing Tenten's confusion. "I don't train here."

"Then why are you here?"

"Hiashi wants to see you in his meditation room."

"Fine." Neji, without taking another glance at the other two, stalked off. Tenten could only sigh dejectedly as she watched his retreating figure. Neji's walk was so strong, his shoulders were so broad and his hair snapped behind him like the mane of a lion. He was dirty and stained, but there was the unmistakable aura of a warrior that surrounded him. He was independent and strong all by himself. He clearly didn't want or need any help from the likes of her.

"Tenten," Hiro suddenly intoned from behind.

The brunette jumped. "Hyuuga-san! I didn't know you were still here."

"My, my," Hiro said, shaking his head. "Nobody wants Hiro around. First Neji, and now you."

"N-no, I didn't mean that! I—"

"You are quite delightful when you fluster," Hiro murmured, leaning dangerously close towards her. "And your blush…"

Immediately, Tenten took a few steps backwards in retaliation. "Hyuuga-san! I-I must go now."

"Please, call me Hiro." He straightened, stepping away from her and smiled politely. "I am quite tired of being regarded as some stranger. I consider you as my friend, Tenten."

"Well, Hiro, as a friend, can I ask you something?"

"Oh, but I thought you had to go?"

"Yeah, well. It's just a quick question."

"You want to ask about Neji's past." It was a statement, and it was only confirmed when Tenten nodded slightly. With suddenly serious eyes, he said mysteriously, "some family matters are best kept within the clan. If you manage to get it out of Neji, then that's an accomplishment, considering what he's been through. But, for now, let's just say that his life is in my hands. I can crush his mind this very instant and obliterate it."

Tenten subconsciously flinched at the harsh words. "But surely, you mean that you can beat him in a battle, right?"

Hiro smiled crookedly. "Look under that black cloth he's always wearing around his head."

And with that, Hyuuga Hiro walked off, leaving Tenten confused, shocked and even a bit scared.

* * *

Neji could feel pain throbbing at his arms and legs as he walked down the long, quiet Hyuuga corridors. It unnerved him, to hear his own footsteps so clearly; it felt like he was the only one in the entire estate. If what Hiro said was right, all the Hyuugas should be present. He shook off the uneasy feeling and continued to walk towards the room where Hiashi meditated every day.

He found his uncle meditating on the floor, in the middle of the incensed room. A white scroll was laid beside him.

"Hiashi-sama," Neji greeted, bowing. "You requested to see me?"

"Yes, I have." Hiashi stood up, taking the scroll with him and twirling it between his fingers. His eyes were sombre, almost sad in a way. His commanding voice didn't quite match his expression. "My nephew, I've been meaning to give this to you for a while."

Neji took the scroll wordlessly, without taking a second glance at it. "Is this a mission?"

Hiashi's eyes were still dull as he shook his head. He subtly gestured towards the scroll.

Neji glanced down, and to his surprise, he saw that it was addressed towards him. His name was written in a familiar handwriting, so familiar it was identical to—no, it couldn't be. Yet, in this situation, at this moment, Neji was more than positive that the handwriting belonged to none other than his father. The Hyuuga prodigy glanced up, and in a dangerously low voice, asked, "what is the meaning of this?"

Yet, he couldn't wait for Hiashi's response. With hands almost trembling, he loosened the red bow and opened the scroll.

_Hyuuga Neji__, my son… _

Neji was unable to move after reading the first few words. That was the familiar handwriting of the person who had taught him how to write. Neji suddenly recalled the times where he would try to copy Hizashi's writing, with said person right by his side, guiding him along the way. Right now, he felt like he was that little boy again, with his father's presence right next to him. Neji could almost hear his father's voice reading the letter.

_By the time you read this letter, I will already be dead. I know your uncle will show you my dead corpse__ very soon, but do not be afraid, Neji. Do not be resentful, because I chose to die. I opted for my own death, because I want to protect Hiashi. _

_You see,__ the night Hiashi killed Hinata's kidnapper, the land of lightning was furious. The Raikage did not apologise for his attempt at kidnapping. Instead, they demanded for the murderer's body. It seemed like a natural reaction, but the entire clan knew their true intentions. They wanted the secret of the Byakuugan. For days, Hokage-sama and Hiashi discussed the issue. Hiashi wanted to take responsibility for his actions. He knew that if he didn't, a war would break out and that was the last thing Konoha needed. _

_Yet, there was a problem. He w__as the clan head. If the clan's leader died, and they figured out the secret, the entire clan and its members would be put at stake. So I stepped in. _

_Hiashi didn't want me to die—he didn't want me to die for something I did not do. But I insisted, because protecting a member of the head family was my duty. However, you will be surprised, because they did not consider replacing Hiashi with me once. Only when I spoke up did they realise that there was a simple solution to the mess. I spoke up not because it was my duty, but because I wanted to protect my own twin brother._

_I know that right now, you're probably still waiting by the cherry blossom tree, awaiting my return. I'm sorry that it will never come.__ I apologise for your mother's actions, and I apologise for mine. I hate it, leaving you at such a young age. However, I have my reasons, and as you grow older, you will understand them as well. _

_Now h__eed my words. Even though your mother left, even though I'm going to leave you myself, you must continue to live on. You are blessed, my son, with the greatest talents the clan has yet to discover. I can see your future already. Use that potential and become a strong, young man. Do not let any responsibility or the loyalty you owe the clan hinder your dreams. Nothing is written in the Fates, my boy, so aim high. Do not become a slave or a mere puppet of the Fates. There are other ways to live your life freely, and I know you will find them. It's up to you, Neji, because I know that out of all people, you have the strongest will and desire to be free. _

_Yet, being independent and strong doesn't mean being alone. __It is fine to accept companions along the way. It is not a sign of weakness. No one, regardless of their strength or independence, can walk down the road of life alone. There are people out there who truly care for you, and will always be there to give a lending hand. _

_Well, it is time for Father to go now. __I can't give you any more than what you already have. But remember, I chose my own death. I defied the fates, and so will you. Neji, forge your own destiny and do not hesitate to choose your own path. Do not regret the mistakes that you make, because you will learn from it. _

_I will always be proud of you__, my son._

_Hizashi_

**A/N:** Just wanted to add that bit with Hiro near the end. Well, I must say that this is a long chapter! It took a while to write. Time is passing by so quickly! It honestly feels like I updated a week ago, when it has actually been over four. Time passes quickly for people like me. I am leaving for Boston in a few hours, so I just wanted to get this out. This is an UNEDITED version of the chapter, so I apologise for all the grammar mistakes, typos and whatnot. Hopefully you managed to get this far! :)

Anyways, if the epidemic/missions are confusing, just let me know and I'll try to clear it up. :) By the way, that's where the little bit from the previous chapter comes in. Hinata helped Naruto out (use your imagination, people!) and that's why he gave her a big yellow teddy bear as thanks.

Much love!  
Chigiri Sasaki


	18. Chapter Eighteen: Amulet

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything of Naruto.

**Destined to Love  
**_By: Chigiri Sasaki _

Summary: He was a prodigy, with a damaged past and no future. She was a commoner, with a hidden secret. Strung together by fate, it was only a matter of time before she changed his life forever. [AU, NejiTen]

**Chapter Eighteen**

Winter had come in Konoha, and although there usually wasn't much snow, it was still quite chilly. Leaves that were dyed in glorious shades of deep crimson, orange and gold had long fallen, branches now bare as they swayed back and forth in the cold, crispy air. Back at the Hyuuga estate, all the training grounds they owned were filled by hardworking ninjas who couldn't train elsewhere due to the ongoing epidemic. Being the one who had walked through these areas, Hiashi was most surprised to see that Hyuuga Neji was, yet again, not there.

The clan head frowned. It was impossible that Neji was sick—and even if he did catch a cold, he would probably still be outside training. There was a tournament today, and knowing Neji, he would be at least practicing his hand-to-hand combat. He definitely wasn't affected by the epidemic, seeing that the virus had not reached the neighbourhood yet. So what was wrong with that boy? For the past few days, Neji had himself locked up in his room, only coming out to eat his meals. He ignored anyone who tried to talk to him, unless it was an Elder or the clan head himself, which was expected but Hiashi thought that the boy had at least the courtesy to reply to Tenten.

That was basically the reason why he had given him the letter in the first place. Not only did he owe it to Neji, he also wanted to make Tenten's job easier. Tenten made changes of her own, but he thought Hizashi's letter would change the Hyuuga prodigy completely. After all, Hizashi's death was what caused him to be this way, wasn't it? All these years, the clan's leader kept the letter from Neji—whether it was out of selfishness or cowardliness or something else, he didn't know. But Hiashi realised a few days ago that he had one last opportunity to clear the misunderstanding. He had waited long enough. He could wait more, theoretically, but a few weeks from now, Neji would be forcefully engaged to some other girl. The clan head doubted anything could change the boy's perspective then.

Hiashi sighed. He didn't want to show that he treated Neji differently, as it would be unfair to the rest of the Hyuugas that were forced to marry at the age of eighteen. However, he saw too much of Hizashi in Neji—and it wasn't just because of all the potential the sixteen year old had. Hiashi didn't have the heart to trap the son of his own twin brother.

His twin brother Hizashi died for him years ago, even when that thought had not been suggested. Of course, Hiashi was unwilling, but Hizashi carried out with his plan anyway. Hizashi left his four year old son, and couldn't even live to see him grow stronger and stronger. Neji had potential to become the strongest member of the clan, yet Hizashi would never be there to see it. Was that fair? Perhaps that was the reason Hiashi was so lenient when it came to Neji and his freedom—Hiashi owed Hizashi that much.

Yet, Hiashi couldn't be so sure of Neji anymore. His views and thoughts were constantly changing as he grew older, yet there was always that underlying bitterness. Hiashi shouldn't have waited so long to reveal the truth, but he truly hoped that the letter still had some value and weight to it. When Neji first read it a few days ago, he simply looked moved and shocked. And then, when he was done, he swept from the room, not giving Hiashi a chance to apologise. It was so Neji-like of him to do that, yet the letter must have done something to Neji—it must have. Otherwise, why would he just stay in his room?

"Neji, open the door," Hiashi commanded when he was in front of Neji's room. "I must speak with you."

The door immediately slid open, and Neji stood there, bowing. He looked perfectly neat and healthy—he didn't look strained, wounded or tired, which was expected since the prodigy had not been training for the past few days. However, despite his healthy appearance, his eyes were dull and blank.

"Neji, may I come in?"

Neji nodded a bit and made way for his uncle. He stood there, waiting for Hiashi to speak.

"Well," Hiashi started, but he was almost at a loss for words. Since when had Neji been like this? There was no life to him at all. "I just wanted to remind you of the tournament. It's today, yet you haven't been training much. Why is that?"

There was no response; Hiashi could tell that his words had not reached him at all.

"You should ask Tenten to come. And I received a notice from the rice country. The new candidate for your wife is supposed to arrive today. You should get ready to meet her."

Finally, Neji looked up, but Hiashi knew it wasn't because of something he said. Instead of the usual fierceness and determination, there was a hollowness to the boy's eyes. "Why?"

"Because she's going to be your future wife," Hiashi replied solemnly.

"Never mind that," Neji said scathingly. There was a tremor to his low, deadly voice. "Why? Hiashi-sama, why did it take you twelve years to give me that letter?"

For a moment, Hiashi could only stare at Neji squarely in the eye. Neji no longer had to look up to his uncle, for he had grown a lot over the years. Hiashi seemed to notice as well, and with a pang of remorse, wished that Hizashi was here.

"Did you keep the truth from me because you thought I was too young to understand? Did you do that because you knew I would train harder than ever?" There was no more bitterness in Neji's voice—only acceptance of the harsh, blatant reality. "Or perhaps you wanted to see me suffer all these years. You knew it would motivate me to train harder."

His eyes were so dull and pained, yet wise from years of suffering. Hiashi, speechless, was the first one to glance away. "I'm sorry, Neji."

"Is 'sorry' the best thing you can say to me? Is that what you said, when you were powerless to prevent my father's death? And is your apology going to make up for all the nights I spent having nightmares of my father's dead corpse? I spent my entire life believing something that wasn't even true. You could have saved me so much pain, Hiashi-sama." He gave a lifeless, short laugh. "Is this why you were chosen to be the head of the clan? Because you're ruthless and despicable? You truly do represent the true nature of the Hyuuga clan. It's a good thing you were born to the head family and not my father."

Neji knew he had crossed the line, and was ready to receive the punishment for insulting the clan like that. But instead, Hiashi's expression crumbled and did what Neji thought he would never do.

The clan head, looking defeated and almost forlorn in a way, fell to his knees, bowing so low that his head touched the floor. He no longer had the certainty of a leader, but rather, the vulnerability of a guilty child.

"Forgive me, Neji," Hiashi managed in a choked voice, almost as if his voice would break if he spoke any louder. "I apologise for never giving you that letter. I don't know why I kept it from you for so long. I let you believe that we forced your father to die. I was a coward—perhaps, I had always thought you were strong enough already, or maybe you got over it without me explaining the truth. I simply never found the right opportunity, anyway—maybe deep down, I was too afraid to approach you because I felt guilty for Hizashi's death." His shoulders shook the slightest bit. "But I had no choice. I never wanted Hizashi to die, but he stepped up himself. The Hokage and the Elders wouldn't let me refuse. And at the end, I agreed, simply because if neither one of us died, a war would most likely break out. That would kill many more lives. That letter that Hizashi wrote—that explained the truth."

Neji couldn't find anything to say. Finally, he exhaled sharply and let his tensed body relax. "Please stand, Hiashi-sama. I believe what my father said."

Upon hearing those words, the clan head simply looked up and his gaze met with Neji's. There was still anger and resentment, but the burden on his shoulders was much lighter. "Then why?" he questioned, still on the ground. "Why did you lock yourself into your room?"

"I suppose I needed time to think," Neji replied in a far-off voice. For the first time in his life, he felt like he was speaking to his uncle, rather than the noble Hyuuga clan's leader. "There were some concepts my father mentioned, which completely opposes mine." He eyed the leader for moment, whose head was still touching the floor. "Please, Hiashi-sama. Stand."

Hiashi stood up, almost reluctantly. He dusted his clothes and there was that air of nobility around him again. He cleared his throat. "Very well, my nephew. You are to clean up now."

"I already am."

"I suppose you are, but you are meeting your future wife, so present yourself nicely."

For a moment, Neji's eyes flashed with anger, but then he was expressionless. "Fine. I suppose I cannot defy the traditions of the Hyuuga clan."

This took Hiashi by surprise. It felt like a very long time since Neji had first refused to meet a candidate, who was actually 'Mikya' back then. It felt like they had come a full circle since that summer day. The clan head smiled, feeling more relaxed than he did in months. "And then, you have to attend the tournament. I hope your lack of training won't hinder your performance."

"It won't."

"And I suppose you want Tenten to come?"

"No," Neji said automatically. "She shouldn't come. The invitation says only family members are to come. How would the Hyuuga clan look if a commoner came?"

Hiashi raised an eyebrow. "I thought you didn't care about the clan's reputation."

"I never said that."

"Then you have something against Tenten personally." When Neji didn't reply, Hiashi added, "she's coming. Now, go meet up with Yamamoto Leiko. I want you acquainted with her before we leave for the tournament."

Neji sighed inwardly and nodded respectfully. "Yes, Hiashi-sama."

When the clan head left, Neji fell back onto his bed. It felt so different, knowing the truth behind his father's death. He had been so shocked at first, but now that he thought about it, what his father did was reasonable. In fact, it was honourable, protecting a loved one. However, even though his father had opted for his own death, even though the clan wasn't as ruthless as it once seemed like, it didn't change the fact that Hizashi and Neji were both branch family members. They still had the curse mark embedded into their forehead, and they were both damned to hell. It was only a matter of time before Neji died as well.

It was fate, wasn't it? Everything was predetermined. Just like how he would be forced to marry this new girl—her name was Yamamoto Leiko, if he had heard correctly. What was the point of refusing? He had done so before, but his efforts were in vain. Not only did they bring 'Mikya' in to bother him, Hiashi also threw in that annoying, nameless commoner. Besides, the entire clan were all forced to do engage at the age of sixteen—who was he, refusing something that everybody else had gone through?

No, they all didn't have to go through the same thing he was. No one had to suffer the constant pestering of a girl who constantly talked about her dreams and hopes. No one had to bear that light, fruity scent that filled the air whenever Tenten walked in. She was an annoying girl who bothered, manipulated and injured him. She probably thought he was just some antisocial child who needed consoling, and was doing everything out of pity. Oh, and she needed the money too, because she was poor and useless.

Yet, he couldn't quite recall the reason why he hated her in the first place.

* * *

In the room across from his, Tenten laid on her bed, flat on her stomach. She was flipping through the glossy pages of a fashion magazine that Hinata had bought yesterday. When she was done, she tossed it to the chair on her left with uncanny accuracy; it landed neatly on top of another magazine. Then, she turned to her desk and took the next magazine from the stack.

Hinata had bought them for her. She felt bad for Tenten, since she too, had noticed that Neji hardly left his room. Tenten couldn't go out due to the epidemic either, so any outing she might have planned for her and Neji were automatically cancelled. The Hyuuga heiress herself couldn't accompany the brunette, since she had to leave early every morning to work at the hospital, and other members of the Hyuuga clan had to serve the village as well.

Suddenly, her room door slid open, and in came Hyuuga Hanabi, slightly out of breath. Strands of her dark hair fell onto her forehead, covering her eyes, and the tiny girl brushed them off impatiently. "Tenten! Tenten!"

"Hanabi, what's wrong?" Tenten was rather surprised that this girl, out of everybody, came into her room. She hadn't seen the young Hyuuga in a while, and they were hardly ever on good terms.

"Tenten, the new girl for Neji is here! I was training at the training grounds, and I saw her by the gates!"

"Who?"

"I don't know what her name is, but come, I want to meet her!"

"Sure, I'll come." Tenten, more curious than she was in days, stood up and followed Hanabi out of her room. She vaguely recalled Hiashi telling her about the new girl the clan chose for Neji. Hiashi had said that she would come soon, but she didn't expect her to arrive within a week.

They found the new arrival in the main living room. She was grabbing onto her bags, even though the maids offered to carry them for her. She simply asked for what Tenten guessed to be her room number, and started to head towards the corridor Hanabi and Tenten were peeking from.

"She's coming this way!" whispered Hanabi. "Well, see you Tenten!"

"What—Hanabi!" Tenten whispered back fiercely, but the little girl had already disappeared. She looked up, and Neji's future wife was standing before her. "H-hello!" Remembering her manners, she bowed slightly. "I'm Tenten."

"Hello, I'm Yamamoto Leiko." Leiko was stunning; Tenten felt a pang of jealousy looking at her angelic features. Tenten remembered that back then, Mikya was quite pretty as well, except she was more of a striking, deadly beauty. This new girl, however, had a softness and sweetness all around her. She, like Tenten, had creamy porcelain skin, but had strangely light golden amber eyes, enhanced with a bit of makeup. Her long, violet wavy hair tumbled halfway down her back, with a few strands in the front, framing her face delicately.

"My," Leiko said in her soft, melodic voice, "you and the rest of the maids are all so polite. Thank you, but I can carry my own things."

"I'm not a maid," Tenten replied hotly, trying to hide her embarrassment. "I'm just staying here at the Hyuuga estate for a while."

Leiko bit her lip, looking abashed. "Oh, I'm sorry. I really didn't mean that—it's just that you don't have their eyes, and you're not… well."

"I've been told quite a few times." Expertly changing the subject, she said, "so which room are you staying in?"

"Oh, well, they say it's next to Neji-san's room."

"Oh! That's exactly the room where Mikya last stayed." Sensing Leiko's confusion, she quickly added, "it was just another guest that stayed here. Hinata—you know, the clan head's daughter—is staying across from you. And I'm on her left, so—"

"Enough with the complicated visualisations," Leiko laughed. "At least I know I can talk to someone I know. You see, I'm actually really scared of this place. I don't know, it's like the Hyuugas intimidate me."

"That's no surprise. I was afraid the first time I came here. They all looked down on me, and I was pretty much the topic of gossip for the entire week."

"They looked down on you?" Her golden amber eyes were slightly uncertain. "But they stopped, eventually, right?"

Tenten chuckled as they reached the hallway where all their rooms were located. "Nope. I just got used to it. You see, the Hyuugas are like a—"

"Do not say anything about the Hyuuga clan."

Tenten was actually shocked that Neji spoke; there were many times where she talked in front of his room, knowing that he could hear. However, he never bothered to come out or say anything, even when she and Hiro were talking about him. It was almost refreshing, listening to the scolding voice she hadn't heard in a while. Yet she expertly covered it up and smiled blithely. "So, you finally decided to say something for a change, Neji. You do realise that your tournament is today."

"Yes," his voice, his voice coming through his door. "I don't need you pestering me about it day and night."

Leiko seemed to piece things together. "Tenten-san—"

"Call me Tenten."

"Tenten, are you here for Neji as well?"

The brunette nodded. She was about to add that she was merely his peer tutor, and that was the reason why she appeared much poorer than someone with the likes of her, but the door slid open before she could even utter a word. Neji stood there, tall and proud, looking immaculate and dignified in his Hyuuga robes. Maybe it was because she didn't see him that often anymore, but she never recalled him looking that darkly handsome.

"Hello, my name is Hyuuga Neji," Neji said formally, nodding politely. "You must be Leiko-san."

"Please, just call me Leiko."

Although Leiko's voice was calm and steady, Tenten could tell that her cheeks turned slightly pink. Actually, by now, Tenten figured that it was kind of a natural response. The brunette was already used to girls flustering or blushing around the Hyuuga prodigy.

"It was nice to meet you," Neji said curtly. "We should leave for the tournament in ten minutes. You're coming." Then, eying Tenten, he added slowly, "Hiashi-sama wishes for you to come as well."

"Sure," both Leiko and Tenten replied at the same time. They exchanged glances, smiled, and went into their own rooms.

By the time Tenten met up with the others at the main gates, Leiko was already there, chatting with Neji. The violet-haired girl looked effortlessly beautiful, as usual. Somehow, within those few minutes, she had changed into a new outfit. The outfit consisted of a simple blouse and skirt, which peaked through her long white coat. It was rather plain, but it looked elegant and sweet on Leiko's slender figure. Every strand of her long, wavy violet hair seemed perfectly in place, even though it was blowing in the wind. And on top of that, the white she wore made her look even more angelic.

Now that Tenten thought about it, Leiko and Neji made quite the striking couple. Both had dark, perfect and long hair. Both had such sharp, distinct features. Leiko had unique, pale golden amber eyes, while Neji had strangely beautiful pools of ivory. Leiko, being shorter than Tenten, reached only Neji's shoulder, but the height difference seemed natural as they were talking. Actually, they looked like old friends. Leiko was happily conversing, her cheeks rosy from the cold, while Neji simply listened and gave short answers. They stood out from the group that were at the gates. The two seemed so intimate that Tenten almost didn't want to intrude.

Wait a minute, she thought. Why was Neji so unexpectedly nice to Leiko? He was definitely not as social back then.

"Hey," Tenten said when she finally reached them. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Oh, nothing much," Leiko said, still smiling from something Neji had said. "I love your shirt! It's adorable."

"Huh?" Tenten looked down at the compliment, and smiled. She didn't button her coat, which revealed the pretty red top Ino had given to her. "Oh, thanks."

"You're welcome. So, are we all here? Hanabi-chan and Hiashi-sama just arrived."

As a clan, they all walked towards the fighting arena together. Tenten vaguely noticed that most Elders and children weren't attending, or maybe they were already there. A good half of the clan was still present, however. Everybody, including Hiro and Hinata, were all excused from their duties and were allowed to watch the tournament. Tenten decided that it felt nice, being able to talk to Hinata again. Lately, the heiress had been so busy she barely had any sleep. It looked like the hospital had sapped her of all her energy, and the fact that it was winter didn't help much. Yet, despite her weariness, Hinata still bore a tiny smile as she talked to the eccentric brunette and the newcomer Leiko.

"And t-then, we opened a large room where kids can stay and play. All their parents are sick by the epidemic and can't take care of them," Hinata explained. "Supervising them seems like one of the simpler jobs, but in actuality, the kids can be q-quite loud and problematic. And dramatic, too. One of the boys actually got down on one knee and proposed to a nurse that worked there. The nurse, w-who thought he was joking, simply ruffled his h-hair, laughed and walked away."

"Poor kid," Tenten murmured. "Was he serious, though?"

"I'm not quite sure, but the nurse is n-now not supervising the room anymore."

"He probably did like her," Leiko said thoughtfully, "but he definitely wouldn't marry her. Which kid in his own right mind would propose at such a young age?"

Tenten laughed. "True. And she's obviously way too old for him."

"A big age difference is hard to deal with," Leiko agreed.

"Then I'm assuming you have some experience?"

Leiko chuckled good-heartedly. "Well, you know how I'm supposed to serve my country and marry off to a powerful family. Well, this powerful but hideous man wanted to take my hand in marriage. My father was fine with it, but this man—he was fifteen years older than me." Her soft face contorted slightly in disgust. "I don't have anything against the age difference, but I was only fifteen then. I wasn't even half as mature as I should have been."

"I know what you mean," Tenten said, nodding. "So what happened then?"

"I just declined, even though he was really rich and everything. He should have asked someone older."

"Perhaps you were t-too pretty to resist," Hinata said.

"Or maybe," Tenten added, "he's just a pedophile."

Leiko giggled. "I guess that's one way to put it. And hey," she added, looking around. "Is it just me or are a lot of people looking at us?"

"People don't seem to be used to seeing the Hyuuga clan," Hinata replied slowly, finally noticing the villagers that were staring at them with round eyes. Yet, their gazes kept landing on Tenten, who seemed slightly smug about it all. "Actually, I think they're looking at y-you, Tenten."

"They're probably surprised to see someone like me with someone like you," Tenten said, shrugging. She suppressed, yet again, another smile; unlike Hinata and Leiko, she had been noticing them for quite a while. The brunette decided that it felt nice to be caught walking and talking with a member of such a noble clan. Tenten didn't know much about its reputation when she first started out, but slowly, over time, she began to notice how popular and powerful it was. People naturally turned their heads to look at the proud and imperious clan. It was so exclusive; not many people were allowed to live in the large estate. So it was no wonder that so many people were shocked to see such a seemingly poor girl tag along. Tenten actually wanted to laugh at their faces.

However, she started to frown when she noticed strange, white posts. They were built at every corner of each street. They weren't there before; she hadn't gone out lately, but she was positive that they weren't there before. When she passed one of them, she realised that they were actually dispensers for some kind of medicine. And above each dispenser was a poster indicating to swallow a round, black pill. It claimed to give one immunity to a deadly disease.

Tenten narrowed her eyes; Tsunade must have put up so many dispensers in an attempt to protect the villagers. Was the epidemic really that serious? It was frustrating, really, to not know anything about it. The process of finding the cure was completely unknown. There was nothing more unnerving than having nothing to do but wait.

"Something wrong, Tenten?" Leiko asked kindly. "You look disturbed all of a sudden."

Tenten shook her head and smiled. "I'm fine. I just thought of something, that's all."

Her tone made Leiko drop the subject, and the three continued to talk about frivolous and trivial matters. Meanwhile, Neji was walking way behind them; somehow, as the girls started to talk, they picked up their paces as well. Yet, despite the distance, he noticed Tenten looking at the white dispensers. He knew what she was thinking; he noticed the first one they came across and had been pondering about it for a little bit. Yet, the expression Tenten bore on her face when she saw them seemed to be imprinted in his mind. She seemed so disturbed and scared that he wanted to tell her that it wasn't that much of a big deal.

No, he didn't want to do that. She could wither in all the misery and he wouldn't care.

"Who are you looking at? I can't decide between Tenten or Leiko." Neji could hear the smirk in his smooth, sly voice. "Or perhaps, you're checking out your own cousin. I never thought you were the type for incest, Neji."

Neji turned to the speaker with a glare. "What do you want, Hiro?"

"Oh, nothing, I'm just trying to distract you before your tournament. You look quite tense." There was a slight smirk on his face. "Or maybe, you just can't decide between choosing Tenten or Leiko to be your new wife."

"There is no decision. It's already made. Not that I bear any feelings for either of them anyway." Neji and Hiro both slowed down; they were now at the end of the pack, trailing behind children that wouldn't eavesdrop on their conversation.

"My," Hiro said, "you're getting even more tense. You shouldn't deny something like that. And don't be so rigid, staring at me like that. You have a tournament coming up."

"I won't be so rigid if you would stop accusing me of such a ridiculous matter."

"How is it ridiculous if I can see it with my own two eyes?"

"You won't have two eyes if you continue bothering me, head family or not."

Hiro smirked easily, unaffected. "Ah, and now you threaten me. When did you become such a spunky kid?"

Neji could merely stare at the taller boy, feeling more and more stirred. "You're only a year older than me."

"And that's one more year of maturing and becoming more knowledgeable."

"Then if you're so knowledgeable, why do you keep talking to Tenten?"

"And why should I not?" Hiro's lazy grin grated against Neji's nerves like no other. "She's a lovely girl."

"What about your fiancée, then? You ignore her to talk to some random commoner. Does Tenten know that every member of the Hyuuga clan must engage at the age of sixteen? Or maybe, she does know, but by the way you're wooing her, I doubt that even crossed her mind. I cannot believe you spent that much money on that necklace for her. Did you ever get your real fiancée something that expensive? Have you no shame?"

Hiro's usually confident eyes suddenly darkened for a moment. "I had no choice but to engage," he said finally. "And neither do you."

"It's a Hyuuga tradition," Neji replied flatly. "Everybody goes through it, so stop acting like you're the only one trapped."

"So is it wrong for me to try and break free?" Hiro stared at Neji, his eyes cool. "Your father felt the exact same way."

Neji narrowed his eyes. How did he know that Hiashi gave him the letter?

"Oh, I knew about your father's past for a long time," Hiro replied, smugness lacing his words. "That's the difference between someone like you and me."

Neji's eyes suddenly regained a cold edge. "My father protected the clan. He sacrificed himself for a noble purpose." He turned to Hiro, his eyes cynical. "I'm curious to know. What is your reason? In what way do you gain freedom by talking to a commoner like her?"

"That has nothing to do with my freedom," Hiro replied dangerously in a low voice. "I have a right to talk to whoever I want."

And with that, the older Hyuuga boy walked off, leaving Neji at the very end of the pack.

It was only a short matter of time before they reached the battle arena. It was, by far, much larger than Tenten had ever expected. Clearly, they had some work done to enlarge the area. Hoards of people flooded the place, and people of all ages were entering, filling up the entire entrance and beyond. The overwhelming amount of people were entering slowly, however. Everybody had to swallow a pill before they entered the arena, which caused a very long line-up.

The Hyuuga clan, unsurprisingly, were let in through a different entrance. It was the entrance for the participating fighters and for special guests and clans. The door was much smaller and rather hidden behind the bushes, but there was no line at all. The guards there still made them swallow the medicine before entering, however. They briefly explained the potential danger of an infected person in a crowd of vulnerable targets, and that made Tenten shiver slightly.

Neji was long gone from the pack, as well as Hiro and some other Hyuugas that were participating in this competition. Apparently, they were all to report to a room for some quick examinations. Whoever didn't have to fight yet were to wait there as well, supervised by professional doctors and paramedics.

Tenten didn't find it that surprising when she saw that the Hyuuga clan got their own section in the seats. It was probably due to the fact that a good quarter of the participants were Hyuugas. Tenten specifically chose the aisle seat for convenience, but was delighted to find out that she was sitting right next to Ino.

"Tenten! What luck that you're sitting here!" Ino cried, smiling brightly. It didn't quite touch her eyes, though. They somehow seemed hollow.

"Tenten, I love your outfit!" Sakura added, peering from the other side of Ino. "Wait, isn't that top and coat Ino's?"

"Yes. I gave them to her," Ino replied smugly.

"Yeah, and that was a good choice. She looks way better in it."

"Why you!"

The two started to bicker, in a friendly manner but there were still shouts and cries nonetheless. Tenten didn't even bother to stop the two and began looking around, and simply observing this magnificent place. She hadn't seen this much life in a while. Finally, when she scanned her own section, she realised that she knew quite a few people. They were all basically ninjas that worked together. She then noticed Hinata and Leiko, among some people she recognised, sitting on the other side of the aisle. The three exchanged smiles.

"Who's that beside Hinata?" Sakura asked, finally noticing.

"Whoever she is," Ino added, "she's insanely gorgeous."

"That's Leiko," Tenten explained, leaning backwards so they could have a better look at her. "The clan picked her to become Neji's new wife."

"Oh? That's the new girl? Then I don't really like her," the blonde declared, crossing her arms like a stubborn child. "Although I love her sense of style."

"She's really nice. I've only known her for a day, but she seems genuinely nice." To be frank, Tenten felt rather intimidated by Leiko. She was honestly the perfect candidate—she was kind, pretty and rich. Tenten felt jealous, but she couldn't find a speck of hatred for such a perfect person. "And Ino, I never thought you were the type to judge people like that."

"I don't. I'm doing that because of past experience. I still can't believe Mikya was actually Akira in disguise."

"Well, either way, Leiko seems like a good person. Mikya was mean to start with. And by the way, do you guys have an inkling as to what Akira was after? She must have been really desperate. She did a good job. I wonder if she ever got what she wanted."

Both girls silenced at this. "Well," Sakura finally stated, "either way, she's gone now. Neji doesn't like to talk about her, so I think we should all keep mum about the topic."

"It's kind of sad, always being kept in the dark." Tenten sighed. "So how are things going at the hospital? How's Amaya?"

"Amaya's fine," Ino replied promptly, twirling the ends of her ponytail. "It's kind of strange. She isn't getting better, but she isn't getting worse. And somehow, the disease in her is no longer contagious. It's the same for all the other patients. Anyhow, I'm glad, because that's the only reason why I haven't died of exhaustion yet. Because Tsunade-sama sees that their condition is sort of stable now, she's a little less stressed now. She figured that she has a little bit more time to find the cure."

"Did she cure anyone yet? And I noticed the immunity pills at every corner. She also had ninja hand them out to every home. How many of those things did she reproduce?"

"A lot." Sakura shrugged. "Everyone's in danger. Everyone knows about the epidemic, but we want to keep it out of the public as much as possible. So far, most of the village thinks that it's just some cold that a lot of people have. Hopefully, they won't realise it's that serious for a little while. Tsunade-sama is working really hard, and I have faith that she'll find a cure soon. In the meantime, we should just relax and make it as least suspicious as possible. There's no need to cause any more panic."

"Well, having a pill dispenser at every corner is totally inconspicuous."

"It's better than nothing! How else are we going to protect Konoha? Apparently, it's been spread to different areas of the Fire country." Ino was suddenly nudged by Sakura, as if to indicate that she had spoken too much. The blonde shook her head slightly. "So," she continued brightly, "you do realise that we're trying to recruit as many volunteers as possible. All ninjas, including us and most of the clans—including the Hyuugas—are required to defend Konoha or help out at the hospital. So, do you want to help, Tenten?"

The brunette shrugged. "Sure. I want to help out as much as I can. "

"Great!" Ino smiled. "So, did you hear about the new additions to the festival?"

"Haven't heard much about anything," Tenten admitted. "I'm not sure if I even have the time to go."

"You are so coming," Sakura insisted firmly. "The planning committee found the perfect theme—it's like a winter wonderland. Forecasters predicted that there will be the perfect amount of snow that week, but the sun will be out and everything. The temperature will be just slightly below zero, which will prevent all the ice sculptures from melting—unless some pranksters from the academy to blow fire on it or something."

"They even added a lot of fun activities," Ino continued animatedly, regaining a spark in her dull eyes. "There won't be just displays and whatnot. There will be snow cones, toffee and even ice cream stands along the way. We'll have so many contests and competitions, with snow forts and snowball fighting and everything. And, this is what I think is the best part. Are you ready for it?"

Tenten laughed at the dramatic pause. "I think I can handle the big news, Ino."

"Okay, Tenten. So, if you buy an extra ticket, you'll get to eat dinner at a huge ballroom. It's specifically for couples, but singles are welcomed as well. It's a five course dinner—which, one of them includes a delicious Japanese dessert from the one and only Watanabe Izanami. Did you know that he just broke up with his wife? Just because he gained weight from trying out his new dishes. Oh, that is really tragic. Anyways, there will be dancing too—they organised a room that looks exactly like a winter prom scene, which Takashi Akio designed. He's the famous artist slash photographer. There will be more draws, and of course, a girl and a guy will be titled as Ice Queen and King."

"But of course," Sakura added, "this ballroom is for people that are underage. Tsunade-sama doesn't want the youth getting drunk. Not that that rule will prevent people from brining in alcohol anyway."

Tenten giggled. "I think I can imagine that happening."

"There are only five hundred tickets being sold. I know one of the organisers, so do you want me to get you a ticket too? Everybody's going—you know, the usual group of ninjas we hang around with." Eyeing past Tenten, Sakura added, "should I get one for Leiko as well? Or perhaps you want Hiro to go too."

Tenten laughed, flushing slightly. "I don't think either of them will have trouble getting tickets. The clan has a lot of clout."

"True." Ino grinned, almost catlike in a way. "So, you know that for the dance, you pretty much have to have a partner, since it's supposed to feel like a ball. Is there anyone that you might want to go with?"

"No," Tenten replied truthfully. "You?"

"Well, nobody in our group was really asked. I was kind of hoping I'd get something out of you." Ino sighed. "I know we're all busy at the hospital, and that there's an epidemic, but I thought everybody would be less lifeless. You know, out of everybody, I expected Naruto to ask Hinata. I know he's oblivious to pretty much anything, but still!"

"You were asked out, Ino," Sakura corrected. "I'm pretty sure I recall you turning down two guys. They were pretty nice, too."

"Yeah, but they're old. At least, too old for me anyway. If they're asking someone five years their junior, then that probably means that they couldn't get someone their own age. Isn't that enough reason to reject them?"

Sakura sighed. "You should give people a chance, Ino. Stop obsessing over Sasuke and move on."

"Who said I'm still obsessed with Sasuke? You're the one who still gazes at him longingly."

"We've been over this some time ago," Sakura retorted, but she smiled nostalgically. "You know, I still get quite bitter from time to time."

"I can't believe we grew our hair long for him. Then we just ended up cutting it."

As the two started to laugh, Tenten simply watched in envy. There were years and years of friendship between the two, regardless of their constant bickering and whatnot. Why didn't she have a bond like that? She felt like she could always run up to Ino or Sakura or Hinata, but it was evident that that trust wasn't reciprocated. Tenten only had them, while they had other people to rely on. The brunette always seemed like the one needing advice, and never the friend with a lending ear.

"I wonder who's going against who," Tenten heard Sakura muse. "I'd really like to see Sasuke go against a Hyuuga… he's been talking about it for quite some time."

"He has a good chance." Ino tapped her chin with her slender finger. "There are so many Hyuugas competing."

"I wonder how Sasuke would do if he went against Neji."

"That'll be really interesting. Both prodigies. Some luck needs to be involved. Seriously, look at all the snow that's on the ground. That'll be some pretty bad luck if someone slips on some black ice or something."

Luck. The word struck Tenten for a moment, and then she suddenly recalled the amulet she had bought for Neji. She had mentioned that it was for good luck, hadn't she? She wondered if he actually considered wearing it for the tournament. He probably didn't, but then again, Neji was full of surprises. More than often, he would surprise her by showing that he was actually a goodhearted person. He was a bit bitter and twisted, but he was still something genuine underneath the cold, exterior layers.

Tenten found herself biting her lip. She didn't speak much to Neji today, so she couldn't remind him about the amulet. So if he actually remembered to wear it, then—

Tenten abruptly stood up. "Hey, where are the fighters staying?"

"They're in the room, next to the door of the special entrance." Ino tilted her head questioningly. "Why? I don't think you're allowed in there. The competition's going to start soon."

"Well, I just want to find out something," Tenten muttered quickly, gliding out of her seat. She quickened her pace, eager to find out whether he was wearing it or not. Why did she care, anyway? It wasn't like he needed much luck. It was only the first round; chances were, he was going to go against a weak opponent. Well, they would be weaker than the finalists, anyway.

She didn't have much of a problem, getting in; contrary to what Ino had said, she found her way to the room easily enough. Instead of crossing directly through the battling ground, she went back outside and entered through the door that was left ajar. The room was filled with either angry or serious ninjas. A good half of them sat by themselves, simply staring off to some random spot on the wall. She saw a familiar back—and although all Hyuugas looked similar, she was quite certain that those broad shoulders belonged to Neji.

"Neji," Tenten said, tapping gently on his shoulder.

Neji spun around, his eyes tense. They relaxed slightly when he caught sight of her. "Why are you here?"

"Um…" Tenten couldn't quite find the words to say, especially when quite a few ninjas turned to look at her. She felt silly all of a sudden. What was she going to say? That she would feel really happy if he was wearing her good luck charm?

"If you're asking about that amulet you gave me, then no, I'm not wearing it."

It took a second for the cold words to register. "Oh."

Neji raised an eyebrow at her crestfallen expression. "Is that all?"

"No, not really, since I was—well, yes." She scratched the back of her head awkwardly. "So, well, since it's winter, don't catch a cold. And um, don't slip on the ice."

There were a few chuckles, and Tenten immediately left the room, abashed. She shouldn't have done such a stupid thing. Now they probably thought she was one of those silly girls who practically worshipped the prodigy. And to begin with, he didn't even deserve her concern. No, he didn't forget about the amulet—he remembered that she gave it to him and decided not to wear it. Tenten's hands balled into fists. This was going to be the last time she was going to do something like this for him.

"Tenten, why'd you go?" Ino asked when she got back into her seat. Hinata, Leiko and Sakura turned their heads to her as well.

"Nothing. You know, just a little curious."

Tenten was thankful that before Ino could open her mouth to protest, the stadium lights darkened, and the only thing visible was the centre ground. A tall man with a strange, bowl cut hairdo stood in the middle. He grinned. "Welcome all, to the annual fighting tournament! This exciting event will declare who is the best fighter in all of the Fire country. People of all ages, clans and genders are allowed! The top fifty contestants were handpicked by the Hokage herself. Now, I'm sure all of us youthful people are simply dying to see what will unravel before our eyes. So do give a hearty applause for our first two competitors. May the best fighter win!"

All lights were dimmed, and his booming voice was drowned by the roaring claps and cheers from the audience. Tenten actually felt the urge to block her ears. She turned, and noticed that Leiko had already done so.

When the lights came back on, there were already two people in the middle. One was tall, while the other was short. There was probably ten years of difference between the two; Tenten wondered why such an odd combination was chosen. Clearly, the taller one was more skilled. He was taller, bigger and probably wiser as well.

Before she could blink an eye, the tall one had already sprung into action. He ran towards the smaller one with lightning speed, leaving a very faint trail on the snow that covered the ground. Yet, with equal speed, the shorter one jumped up, throwing various weapons down with deadly accuracy. The other dodged, and began to clone himself. The dozen people surrounded the tiny one, yet he didn't even seem fazed by it. He closed eyes, and began to deflect every weapon being thrown at him.

"Wow," Tenten breathed, unable to tear her eyes away. "How can he do that with his eyes closed?"

"He's actually blind," Ino replied. "They're the same age, you know. Just, one of them is a midget. And if that wasn't hard enough, he had his sight taken away from him too. He beat all odds; he became one of the stronger ninjas in Fire country. It's insane, seeing him fight. You can literally see all the years of training and sweating and efforts. Even though he was put at so many disadvantages, he trained hard and pulled through. That takes a lot of guts, courage and persistence."

Tenten didn't reply; she was too engrossed in the fight. Now that she actually knew something about the contestants, she could only gape at the blind man's abilities to fight. Surely, he trained ten times—if not more—harder than her.

In the end, he lost, but he had gained respect from many viewers, including her. She probably clapped harder for him than the winner himself.

Each battle passed by rather quickly; she didn't even notice time passing by so quickly. Each fight had something unique to them, and she watched intently for each and everyone, which surprised her. She thought she was going to be bored by the twenty five battles. Some were short, while some were much longer. She recognised quite a few people; amongst the people she was introduced to recently, Sasuke, Naruto, Hiro and Kiba made it to the next round. She recognised quite a few Hyuugas, but surprisingly, only half of them made it in. Neji wasn't out yet.

"Shikamaru would've done really well," Ino said, sighing dejectedly when another person was announced as the winner. "I can't believe that he got sick. Shikamaru never gets sick. Chouji, well, he usually gets sick if there's something going around, but Shikamaru is too smart to get infected."

"He'll be fine soon," Sakura murmured soothingly to the blonde. "He'll be able to join next year's competition. Just have faith in Tsunade-sama."

"I hope so."

The stadium darkened once more, and when Tenten was able to see it again, she saw Neji standing there. Her breath hitched; finally, it was the battle she was anticipating to see. Across from the prodigy stood Shino, the strangely quiet boy who always wore dark shades. Tenten sat back and forced herself to relax. She wasn't sure what Shino was capable of but she knew how strong Neji was. He was a Hyuuga—the name itself was literally self-explanatory. On top of that, Neji was hardworking and was called a prodigy for his outstanding skills. It would take quite a lot to beat someone like him.

Tenten eyed Ino for a split second before gazing at Neji again. "What does Shino use?"

"Bugs." Ino's eyes were glued to the scene as well. "Lots and lots of bugs."

Before Tenten could register what she had said, the referee waved his flag, signalling the start of the match. Neji fell into his defensive stance, Byakuugan activated, and Shino immediately raised his two arms. Tenten had no idea what kind of stance that was, but she slowly realised what he was doing when tiny, black bugs came out from his sleeves. They came out in such large black masses that Tenten felt slightly nauseous.

The bugs shot out to Neji all at once, looking like a large black blob flying in the air. Just as it was about to engulf the prodigy, Neji stood back, and made his palms perpendicular to each other. A big burst of chakra formed at his hands.

"Hakke Kūshō!"

The large gust of wind Neji produced blew everything away from him. A large bundle of snow and bugs was directed towards Shino, who seemed slightly shocked. However, his lips instantly pressed into a thin line and his figure dispersed into millions of bugs. They began to circle the prodigy, and a black figure suddenly formed behind him. However, before Shino could strike down, Neji spun around and slammed his palm onto his chest. Shino stumbled over for a second, and the bugs momentarily froze.

"Well, I guess the match is pretty much over." Ino leaned back onto her chair. "Shino can fight on for a little longer, but the bugs feed off his chakra. So if Shino's chakra flow stops, then so do his bugs."

"And Neji specialises in blocking chakra points," Sakura finished. "I guess it was just a matter of who got hurt first. If Shino got his bugs to envelope Neji first, then Neji would be the one in a tough predicament. Shino's bugs sap its opponent of their chakra."

Tenten turned her attention back to the match. Neji was on the other side of the battling field, while Shino appeared to be thinking.

"The battle is over," she heard Neji say in his cold, sharp voice.

"Not really."

"I blocked one of your main chakra points."

There was a scoff. "Hyuugas are always the same. It's always the same, predicable technique to beat their opponents."

"It's just that effective. Hyuugas have been beaten before, so it's only a matter of how strong the user is." Neji fell into another stance. "Let's see what you can do."

Shino smirked, tilting his head cockily. "Oh, so you haven't noticed?"

Neji looked down, and sure enough, bugs had begun to crawl up his feet. Some were already at his wrists, binding both his hands together behind his back. Neji's eyes widened for a bit, but he kept his gaze cool as he directed it at Shino. "Impressive, Aburame. You've made your bugs, which emit chakra, undetectable to the Byakuugan."

"And I also used the advantage of the snow," Shino said coolly, his sunglasses glinting. Tenten had never heard him talk much, but now that he did, he sounded rather scary and almost like a maniac. "Otherwise, they would be visible on the ground. I know you can exert chakra from your hands to block chakra points—which is particularly why I tied them up. What can you do, now that they're bound by bugs? Your chakra is being sucked at this very moment."

Neji raised an eyebrow.

"Guess this means it's the end, Hyuuga."

Tenten thought the indifferent expression Neji bore was an acceptance of defeat. She had understood a little more about Shino's techniques. It wasn't impossible to escape his bugs, but once they attached themselves to one's body, it would be pretty much fatal. She couldn't believe how fast the tables had turned. One minute she thought Neji would be the winner, but a minute later she was already thinking otherwise.

She looked down at Neji, her eyes hopeful. Neji was strong, she thought determinedly. He wouldn't lose without at least partially killing himself in the process. Half of his body was currently covered with black bugs, yet he looked calm and relaxed.

Ino blinked in surprise. "Neji's giving up? Shino's… going to win?"

"No," Tenten replied defiantly. She stared at the prodigy; she recognised that expression. "He closed his eyes. He's thinking of something. He definitely has something up his sleeves."

The crowd watched intensely at the scene, their eyes fixed upon the Hyuuga. The bugs were travelling up closer, already at his chest. Yet, Neji still did not look stressed, intimidated, or even disgusted. He suddenly smirked and his eyes snapped open.

In an instant, Neji expelled chakra from all the pores of his body, killing every bug that surrounded him. He broke free faster than anyone could imagine, defying all odds, and he was already running before Tenten could exhale in relief. The crowd could only gape as Neji appeared behind Shino, with a murderous intent gleaming in his pale, ivory eyes. Shino didn't even have time to turn around and block himself because Neji's hands had already started to block his chakra points. Shino's face slowly contorted, his glasses fell off, and his body went rigid before falling to the ground. His bugs, as a result, stopped moving as well.

"Poor Shino," Tenten murmured. She could only imagine the pain of having all her chakra points sealed. And on top of that, each of Neji's strike was quick yet undoubtedly excruciating.

To her surprise, Shino didn't let the referee announce the end of the match. Although his arms shook, he slowly rose, pressing on his knees for support. He didn't like the feeling of having no chakra running through his veins; without his chakra, he couldn't use his bugs. It felt like an important part of him was stifled, but he refused to lose—the match had barely started.

"You shouldn't push yourself beyond your limits," Neji said impassively. He looked down upon the boy, who struggled to stand—who else had such perseverance? Oh, there was that Tenten, the stupid girl who kept bothering him. There was also Lee, and Naruto, the idiotic kids that were determined to beat him.

Shino simply grunted, but he lunged forward anyway. He punched, kicked, shot weapons—basically anything that didn't require using his bugs or chakra. He proved to be quite the hand-to-hand combat fighter, especially when he managed to kick Neji in the shin. Neji's knee buckled, but instead of falling, the prodigy swung his other leg, bringing the younger boy to the ground. Yet, before the he fell, Neji's knee connected with his stomach. Shino coughed out blood.

"You should forfeit," Neji intoned. "You can't go much farther."

"I'm not going—"

His words were cut off when Neji kicked him hard in the stomach. Shino flew several feet away, and by the time he actually landed and stopped rolling, he was already unconscious.

Neji's eyes displayed nothing as he stared at the limp corpse. He simply turned to the man that would determine his victory. "Well?"

"I guess this wraps up the battle," the referee muttered, coming forward. He held up Neji's hand. "And the winner of this match is Hyuuga Neji!"

The audience's cheering and claps for the infamous Hyuuga prodigy were deafening. It was a short match, and most of them knew Neji would be the winner in the end anyway, but it was still interesting to watch. The Hyuuga simply gave a nod and a quick wave to the audience before walking off the arena, looking as cool and stoic as ever. Tenten could swear that she could hear girls squealing from all around the stadium.

Why did so many girls love him? Sure, he had the looks and the strength, but he was unfeeling and merciless. The way he ended the match was a little cruel, even if he was supposed to show no mercy when it came to defeating his enemy. Come to think of it, Neji really was the perfect fighter; he was strong, talented, smart and ruthless. Someone like him didn't need a guilty conscience—someone like him didn't need an amulet for good luck.

Tenten sighed.

* * *

That night, Tenten found Neji in the middle of the training grounds, panting and sweating. The rest of the day had gone by quickly after the —they all simply walked home, and then proceeded to do whatever they usually did. Neji ignored her, as always, only giving a slight nod when she congratulated him of his victory. At least, she thought vaguely, he treated everyone else in the same way. He was still his old, usual self, and it was only confirmed when he decided to go to the training grounds. She honestly didn't know what drove him to train this hard; who in their right mind trained only a few hours after a tournament?

She sat down by a tree, shivering when a chilly wind passed. She looked at him; his face was still pale as ever and there was no indication that the cold weather bothered him. Around him were targets of different heights—clearly, he had made them from scratch since they were so shabby and randomly done. A target board hung from each wooden cross, each brutally pierced by various types of weapons. Tenten smothered a smile when she noticed that one or two shuriken were on the ground. He wasn't perfect; he could still improve his aim and weaponry skills, even though they were nearly flawless.

"What are you doing here?" he intoned, still shooting at the battered targets. "It's late."

"Well, same reason why you're here." She tilted her head questioningly when he missed the centre, yet again. "You missed."

"I can see that."

Tenten fought the urge to giggle. "You do have good aim and strength, but it looks like you don't often practice shooting from a distance. You can't use the same technique for short and long distances, you know."

"It's basically the same," he muttered.

"See, when you do that, you have to rely on luck to hit the target. That's what happens when you don't throw the weapons correctly."

"And you do?"

"Well, my methods work for me." She stood next to him and summoned some weapons of her own. She eyed the target carefully—she had chosen the board that was the farthest from where she was standing. Vaguely, she noticed that he only missed this particular target. "See, when you're shooting something far out in the distance, you have to really focus. You have to execute the right amount of energy and chakra. There has to be an even balance of precision and strength—if you lack any of the two, your attack won't be successful. But you know what I do? I just really concentrate on where I aim—then I just throw it as hard as I can. When you're farther away, you have to rely on your torso for strength and your wrist for aiming. Of course, it's a lot harder than it seems, since you have to calculate the distance and take how much wind there is into account. Then again, it also depends on which kind of weapon and how heavy it is."

"I already know that," he said flatly.

"Well, I can't explain properly so just watch me, alright?" With a quick flick of her wrist, Tenten shot the kunai from her agile fingers. The next second, it was seen lodged directly in the centre of the target board. She smirked triumphantly. "See? It's not really that hard."

Neji turned away from her, refusing to be impressed and resumed back to his previous stance. It was impossible that she knew more than him. He shot once again, and he hit the target board, but he didn't hit the centre like Tenten did.

He fell back into his stance, preparing for another attack.

"Neji, you're doing it wrong! If you continue to do it like that, you won't hit the place you want to hit. That can be fatal in your future tournaments. What if you wanted to hit someone's heart but then you hit their neck instead? Oh wait, no, that's kind of fatal too, but—"

"Go away. You're bothering me."

"But—"

"Go away."

Tenten exhaled sharply, glanced at the cold prodigy. Why couldn't she change this boy? It was like he specifically didn't change because she was here. He wasn't this rude, even when he was talking to Leiko, whom he had only met for a day. Why did her presence aggravate him so much? She sighed once more, this time softly. Before she left the training grounds, she gave him a half-hearted smile. "Well, don't stay up too late—"

"Whatever."

-

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**A/N:** I updated in less than a month! Wow, that's a first. And this chapter is a long one too. I used to make my chapters like two thousands words, but that was two years ago. I even had extra events to squeeze into this chapter, but I figured I would never get the chapter out that way. Oh, and by the way, the past few chapters (including this one) are unedited, since my editor is busy now and I have quite a bit of work myself. (High school isn't consuming, until they decide at the end of the year that you had it too easy.) Hope you look past the mistakes & typos.

Well, Boston was super fun. I slept half the time when we were waiting in the bus—this bozo that sat in front of me wouldn't stop bothering me. Shopping was really fun, except we only had two hours and a half to go shopping (within the span of three days). That's pretty sad, if you ask me. I still managed to get over 200 bucks worth of stuff, so it's all good. I love Boston. It's so full of American stores (no duh), and I get to go shopping at stores that we don't have here in Canada. I have to bug my parents to drive there this summer.

Oh, and what is up with the swine flu? I seriously hope it goes away sometime soon. I'm scared, haha, especially since my sister's grade went to New York, and is coming back this weekend. I hope she doesn't catch anything. And there's one confirmed case at where I live—oh God, I'm not going to take the bus. I'm going to walk home. It's only a twenty minute walk anyway.

I want to write this new story (I have a few chapters written out), but I'm not sure if I can handle updating two stories. (One story is already bad enough, since I'm the worst updater in the world.) Yeah… okay, well that's enough of my ramblings. They are not even relevant to the story. I hope you enjoyed this and please review! They make me happy and motivate me to write more. :)

Love always,  
Chigiri Sasaki


	19. Chapter Nineteen: A Promise

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything of Naruto.

**Destined to Love**_  
By: Chigiri Sasaki _

Summary: He was a prodigy, with a damaged past and no future. She was a commoner, with a hidden secret. Strung together by fate, it was only a matter of time before she changed his life forever. [AU, NejiTen]

**Chapter Nineteen**

The next morning arrived quickly. Tenten had, yet again, another dreamless night of sleeping. It was probably the eleventh time in a row by now. She didn't know what felt better—being traumatised by the bad memories that seemed to come time after time, or feeling simply numb throughout the night.

She was really beginning to wonder what her past was like. Up until now, none of the memories felt like a part of her. They didn't seem to add up. From what she had gathered from the glimpses, it was likely that she had a bad childhood. So bad, that she maybe had decided to forget the horrible things herself. Or maybe her parents decided to erase her memories so she wouldn't be disturbed for the rest of her life.

She rolled to her back, staring at the ceiling of her canopy bed. The light material blew and floated in the wind that blew in. Regardless of the cold weather, she still kept the window open. There was no other indication of the weather like the scent of the air. She loved how it went from being humid and minty, and then to cool, crisp and frosty, and then being back to musty and grassy again.

She reached her hand towards the window. Subconsciously, she closed her fingers. She sighed. Was there a way to stop time?

Like the air, time seemed to slip from her fingers. Without knowing it, she was already wasting her life away. Nothing in her life so far made a huge impact on anybody—she had nothing to prove that her existence was real and her existence was worthwhile. She didn't know what she was battling for anymore, she didn't know what the meaning of her life was. She knew she had something to fight for, but what if that something was always out of her reach? And what if that something was no longer valuable?

She was always determined to find her parents, and even that mysterious boy. Yet, it was always something she told herself to find. What if they were all dead? What if they didn't care about her anymore? Maybe it was time she stopped focusing on her past. Dwelling on something that happened years ago would do nothing but consume her time needlessly. If it was meant to be, then it should have happened years ago. Maybe it was time to move on, to look forward, to put things behind and leave it forgotten.

But yet, she couldn't. Those things were what made her. Her past gave her a sense of living. Even if it was bad, even if it would make her cry, she could at least proudly say that she lived through those hardships. That would give something to her identity, something for her to tell others. Right now, she was nothing. She had no name, no identity. She was still incomplete, or rather, a nobody. She wasn't exceptional at anything, she didn't have spectacular looks or talent, nor was she the best of friends with anybody. So what was she doing, staying here like some dreaming fool? All her efforts were in vain.

She closed her eyes. Why were her memories erased in the first place? Did her parents erase her memories, or did she decide to forget herself? If the latter was true, then she was stupid. She was foolish, to have done such a thing. No matter how painful things were, she shouldn't have taken the easy way out.

There was a knock at the door. She didn't even bat an eye; it was so habitual that the same maid would come in every morning and give her freshly washed clothes. It still amazed her that she didn't know her name.

"Tenten-sama, would you like me to bring you your breakfast? I noticed that you haven't gone to the kitchen yet."

Tenten smiled at the maid who had already begun to place the folded clothes into the closet. "No, I'm not hungry yet. But thank you anyways."

The woman politely nodded and bowed before leaving.

Tenten eyed the new row of clothes hanging in the closet. There were items she had never seen before; clearly, Hinata was generous yet again and decided to add a few items to the brunette's wardrobe. By now, Hinata roughly knew Tenten's exact size and style. Tenten smiled as she fingered the items, which were all brand new and smelled great. Hinata was way too nice, as was everyone else at the Hyuuga estate. Well, most of them at least.

She gazed out her door, pretending to see Neji sleeping in the room across from her. Neji was nice, even it lasted for a span of roughly a few days. Even though he was unusually cold, she had a feeling that Neji had his reasons. How illogical and ridiculous they were, she didn't care. She wanted to break through that cold exterior of his. If she could only convince him that she wasn't like the others. She guessed that something must have hurt him more than once; perhaps, that was why he pushed everybody out of his life. If he got too involved, then he would be a vulnerable target to get hurt. How could she ever convince him that she would never betray him?

Today, they, among some other Hyuugas, were going to the hospital to help out. Neji was required to do so, and Tenten was volunteering. Maybe she would be able to do something then; maybe she could work with him and become closer to him that way. She shook her head. Either way, she would have take a long shower first. Her head had been hurting all morning.

* * *

"And then boom! Sasuke took the bait and the entire thing blew up in his face!" Naruto burst out laughing, and Hinata joined in with her soft giggles. "I still laugh at it, even though it has been months. Oh boy, that was probably the best prank I've ever pulled."

"Sasuke-kun must have been mad," Hinata replied with a smile.

"Oh… you should have seen his face! He started chasing me around, but thank God Kakashi-sensei appeared on time."

"Kakashi-sensei seems to be always helping you out."

"Well, he is supposed to. And he does a good job of it, unless he's reading that stupid book of his."

Hinata laughed. She was, yet again, with Naruto, and they were coming back from their walk around the village. They had been doing this almost every day. Each morning, they would meet up secretly, just to simply talk and enjoy each other's company. They obviously couldn't do it during the day; they weren't only from different teams—the Hyuugas didn't approve of Naruto, and both of them didn't like the attention from their everyday friends.

"So what else did Sasuke-kun do?" Hinata's voice was thoughtful. "Knowing him, he wouldn't simply leave you alone after something like that." She let out another giggle.

"Sakura-chan helped me loads. She distracted Sasuke for the next few weeks so he wouldn't pummel me!" Naruto laughed. "It really helps to have a girl on the team. Sakura-chan's like our mediator. I'm sure you're the mediator of your team."

"Shino… doesn't fight."

"No way! Not even once? Kiba's always looking for something to fight, and with that dog of his peeing everywhere…"

Hinata shook her head. "No, not once."

"Aw, he's no fun. He doesn't do much, does he?"

"He's very interesting, to say the least," she replied defensively. "He does do a lot when he's not with my team. There were many times where he was late to our training sessions."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and scratched his chin. "I do wonder what he does…"

"You're going to spy on him?"

"No… that would make me sound like a stalker. I want to simply know what he does without really asking him that. He's so weird." Naruto's eyes were full of curiosity. "Did you ever see him laugh before? Everything about him is concealed. His eyes, his mouth…"

"Naruto-kun." Hinata's voice was patronising, but she couldn't help but giggle herself.

"I'm sorry, Hinata-chan. I didn't mean to make fun of your teammate."

"It's alright, you didn't mean any harm."

The blond grinned widely. "Hinata-chan understands me the best!"

"R-really?"

"Sure. It's like you know exactly what I'm going to do—which is kind of predictable, because everybody seems to know about my plans—but you're one of the few people that accept it." Naruto stopped when the Hyuuga manor came into sight. He frowned slightly. "Oh, we're almost at your place."

"We are?" Hinata didn't even try to keep the disappointment out of her voice. "I guess—"

"Can we make a detour?" Naruto suddenly asked. "Let's walk down the next few blocks, and then make our way back around again."

Hinata smiled softly. "Sure, Naruto-kun, I'd love to."

Naruto grinned in return, and noticed his strong urge to wrap his arm around her yet again. It was strangely reoccurring. She was just so delicate and tiny that he wanted to never let her go. She seemed so fragile, yet at the same time, she was still strong and stood up for herself. Was there a way to distract his… urges? He began to whistle a melodious tune as they walked around the blocks that surrounded the Hyuuga mansion.

"What tune is that?" Hinata asked. "It's beautiful."

"Oh, that?" Naruto walked ahead a little faster, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I don't actually remember. I've had that tune in my head since I was just a kid. I don't know. Maybe I made it up when everyone shut me out."

There was a moment of silence.

"You were never alone," Hinata finally said. Her voice was quiet, but in such a calm morning her words were very clear. "I have never thought anything ill of you."

The blond turned around, suddenly grinning. Yet Hinata could see that there was something underlying; it was like he suffered a little more than he would let on. "Naruto-kun?"

"Well, anyway. It doesn't matter. That was the past, Hinata-chan. I have tons of friends now. I'm even acquainted with Neji, which I thought at first was impossible."

"Neji-nii-san isn't that bad. Well, sometimes he's nice."

Naruto chuckled. "Sometimes?"

"He can be difficult at times."

"I know what you mean. So how's Tenten-chan holding up?"

"She's doing great, in my eyes. She's different, and definitely very strong-willed. I think even Neji can't wear her down."

"Oh?"

"Tenten has honestly been a really big help to all of us, whether she thinks so or not." Hinata gazed up at the sky, her eyes distant. "She's really one of the few girls that can stand Neji-nii-san for a long period of time. She left once, and at first we all thought it was for good. Luckily we got her back. I don't know what else we could have possibly done to help Neji-nii-san. Every other girl, despite our wealth and power, decided to leave because Neji-nii-san was constantly battering down their confidence. His remarks can sometimes be beyond cruel."

"He does that to everybody. I remember what he called me during the Chuunin exams—a loser, a failure at life. I didn't beat him then, but look—who's a Chuunin now?"

Hinata smiled faintly. "Yes, but Naruto-kun, you always stand back on your feet. You never stop trying. Not many people can bravely do that—they usually just give up after bearing Neji's glares and whatnot. I don't understand why Neji-nii-san has to be always so mean. I'm quite sure that he doesn't even think about his grudge towards the main household anymore. Well, I'm positive that he does think about his father from time to time, but he's not bitter anymore. There's just that something always holding him back. Whether it's pride or stubbornness or something else, I don't know."

"He'll come to his senses one day."

"He already is, in a sense. After Tenten came, he became… different. He's still mean to her and all, but there's something underlying. Like he knows that he has no reason to be bitter but he still is because he has been in his own little bubble for years. He doesn't know any other way to act. It's like he's ignoring her for the sake of ignoring her. Does that make sense?" Hinata tilted her head slightly. "I do have to admit, he is much more polite to others. He probably still harbours negative thoughts, but he keeps it to himself."

"I think I noticed that too. I remember the dinner we had a few weeks ago—he seems awfully close to Tenten, if you ask me."

"I know… I think everybody knows that but them two. I just wish that Neji-nii-san would admit that Tenten is the closest thing he can have other than family. I've been with him since I was born, and for the first time, I think I'm seeing something different in him." She shyly looked away. "I'm sorry, Naruto-kun, for dumping all of this on you. I just… it's not quite the same talking to family that are involved."

"It's fine," Naruto replied with a loud laugh. "I really like listening to you talk."

Hinata didn't know whether to take it as a compliment or not—did he think that she spoke too much? She chose her reply carefully. "I've talked to you before."

"Yeah, but you didn't stutter once today," Naruto murmured in awe, the edges of his eyes softening. They were already at the Hyuuga gates, but none of them bothered to depart. Without knowing it, Naruto closed the gap between their bodies. "I've never seen you speak so much."

"I-I don't k-know w-whether it's g-good or n-not—I k-know it's n-not like m-me—"

Naruto grinned lopsidedly. "I like it."

Hinata felt the pervasive heat spread throughout her face. The beauty of his deep, blue eyes and that hint of a smile still playing on his lips made her knees go weak. She knew she was going to faint soon. To prevent her legs from giving way, she immediately stepped back, hoping to feel a solid wall of some sort for support. However, instead she felt Naruto's hand, at the curve of her back. It sent chills and shivers down her spine. She felt so lightheaded she knew she was going to pass out within seconds.

"Sorry," Naruto immediately said, stepping back. "That… that was so not something I should do, especially at your place."

"It's… i-it's alright." Hinata looked away and gathered her thoughts. A soft fierceness came over her eyes. "I should be able to talk to whoever I want. I'm tired of having to sneak around just because I'm with you. They can't control me."

Naruto couldn't stop gazing at her; he still couldn't believe how much she had opened up to him over the past few months. It felt like a long time since they had graduated from the academy, but for as long as he could remember, he had spent all his time crushing and making googly eyes at Sakura. Then, after a while, he finally realised that she would always love Sasuke. At that turning point, he took his mind off by noticing the other people around him. He became intrigued with one particular person, and that was Hinata. One thing he could never figure out was why she would always faint.

He became frustrated one day, and followed her, and then he realised how interesting and what a sweet girl she was. She was nothing like Sakura; Sakura was much rougher around the edges, while Hinata was always calm, reasonable and sweet and quiet. She always put others before herself. While Naruto liked the chase, he realised that he preferred something more substantial. He loved the way that he didn't have to work hard around Hinata. She had always accepted him for who he was, and he could just be himself around her.

It was strange. He had never noticed that he liked Hinata more than a friend. Back then, he had always acknowledged the fact that he liked Sakura. That was why he followed her, tried to impress her and did everything to get her attention. It was much more subtle with Hinata. It all started with the academy, with the quick glances and subtle smiles. And then she began to wish him good luck, for various tournaments and missions. It was obviously something even a teammate would do, but for someone like Hinata, it was different. She was constantly shy. For her to come out of the blue and wish him good luck was something extra for the both of them.

He suddenly grinned. "Well, I guess I have to go now."

Hinata didn't say anything, but her eyes reflected a hint of sadness.

"Tsunade-sama wants to see me soon—to babysit or something. I'll definitely see you again if I have a mission."

His gaze met hers for a moment, and he smiled, but he was dumbfounded. He didn't know what to do. Something inside of him urged him to lean forward, and give her a tight hug, or perhaps even a quick kiss—but the nervous look on Hinata's face made him stop in his tracks. Of course. It was like this every time they departed. Hinata would get nervous and quiet, and he would always end up just saying goodbye. He couldn't really blame her. Hinata wasn't like any of the other girls. She liked to take things slow.

"Bye Hinata-chan!" Naruto did his signature grin once again, flashing her with his pearly whites.

"Bye," Hinata replied softly. She turned around and with a sigh, entered the Hyuuga gates.

* * *

_Being independent and strong doesn't mean being lonely. It's fine to accept companions along the way; it's not a sign of weakness. No one, regardless of their strength or independence, can walk down the road of life alone. There are people out there who truly care for you, and will always be there to give a lending hand. I may not be there to guide you, but remember, I chose my own death. I defied the fates, and so will you. Neji, forge your own destiny and do not hesitate to choose your own path. _

Neji already remembered most of the letter that his father had written.

It felt like ages since he had first received it. Well, at least, it seemed like a long time to Neji; he was someone of an analytical disposition, so even a short period of time would seem dreadfully long. He gazed out the his window.

There was that rare snow falling again. The grounds were all white, covered by a thin, light layer of snow that had accumulated. At this time of year, youngsters his age were usually wasting their time by playing and frolicking in the snow. He, on the other hand, would be training hardcore; he was never like the average teenager. He had never been much of a normal kid anyway. Reckless training and nightmarish nights left him wiser and bitter. He always considered himself luckier in a way, as he was exposed to the darker side of human nature at an early age. That way, he was knowledgeable before even becoming an adult.

Yet, a part of him didn't want the burden. He had seen too much. Why couldn't he be one of those normal, carefree villagers? He would be ignorant, yes, but at least he wouldn't be constantly bothered by his past.

Yet, at the same time, he wasn't quite sure that it was his past that made him this way. Yes, it had been a part of it, but training hard had become so habitual. He shut everyone out without realising it.

When he read his father's letter, Neji supposed his wish was granted, in a way. The misunderstanding had been cleared, and he figured out his father's true intentions. But, that still didn't explain the reason behind his mother leaving, or Akira betraying him. Why him? Why was he the one who got hurt time after time?

_Stop acting like you're the only one suffering!_

The words came out of nowhere, really. However, he remembered them clearly; it was Tenten who had said it, back then, back when it was still warm and the air was still nice and breezy. She, too, had her own problems, but unlike him, she didn't drown herself in them. She didn't accuse people of faults they didn't commit either. She also didn't shut herself away from the people who were actually kind and caring. She took it all in, kept it to herself and put a smile on her face.

_No one, regardless of their strength or independence, can walk down the road of life alone. There are people out there who truly care for you, and will always be there to give a lending hand._

Tenten matched that description. He couldn't deny that she was annoying and pestering, and she had rather childish approaches to everything. However, she had a strong spirit and she kept her head held high even when facing difficult situations. She was kind to everybody, and time after time she proved how true and good her intentions were. She had done nothing but good to him; for a little while, he was actually much more considerate around people.

He had never met anyone like her. She was so different. He had always assumed that there were two types of people—the people who were ignorant and blissful, and the people who were suffering and miserable. She seemed to fit both descriptions. She had her moments where she would break down, but she dealt with everything just fine. She didn't become twisted and bitter after hardships; she still wished the best for everyone. Even after suffering, she still had faith.

So why did he seem to repel such a person?

It was like his natural reflexes, to block out the people who would interfere with his goals. He convinced himself recently that she was nothing but manipulative. He had no proof, and he didn't mean to be exceptionally rude to her, but it was almost out of desperation. She affected him way too much.

It worked for a while, even though he felt the inevitable guilt every time she looked hurt from his rather cutting insults. Why was she so persistent in the first place? He would actually rather not be the person to always send her away. If she willingly decided to leave, at least he knew she had done it out of her own free will. Then, he could resume back to his normal life, content that she was only another one of those girls. But then, the letter came, and it unravelled everything he had been building up in his mind.

Neji closed his eyes, burying his face into his hands. So, now what? Was he supposed to trust Tenten now, like he should have done so long ago? But if he did, would that mean throwing away everything he had been working so hard for?

He drew nearer to the window, hoping the chilly wind would help clear his mind. Somehow, nothing seemed to make sense anymore. Would he be throwing everything away simply because he accepted Tenten? Now that he saw his logic, it actually seemed kind of illogical. He didn't even know how it drove him to push Tenten away like that. Like that time she bought him that necklace. Instead of thanking her, he only mentioned that it was fake. It probably was, but there was at least sentimental value to it. He didn't bother wearing it to the tournament, however. He wouldn't let himself wear it; if he didn't accept all the other gifts he received, then why should he do so now? Not that he would need it anyway—the opponent wasn't that hard to beat. He was actually more interested in the finalists.

He eyed the little black box on the corner of his desk. He had never touched it ever since the night she had given it to him. There was no need to do so now, right?

He suddenly found himself reaching for it.

* * *

"Neji! Neji!"

Leiko's calls were soft, but they echoed through the entire hallway. She wanted to see him before they all left to the hospital together. Not that she wouldn't see him for the rest of the day, seeing that she volunteered to help herself, but she wanted to talk to him alone. Yet her calls were cut short when she suddenly bumped into someone. She barely noticed the younger girl, but smiled when Hanabi stared at her. "Hi, Hanabi. Sorry I didn't see you there."

"Yeah, yeah, that's what they all say."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Hah, don't blink so innocently. No one except Neji and Tenten are here anymore. You can drop your act. I know what you're up to."

Leiko raised her eyebrows. "I'm not up to anything. You must have the wrong person or something, Hanabi."

Hanabi pointed a stubby finger at her, eyes full of accusations. "No, I know what you're up to, Leiko. You may be prettier than everyone but you're not much better. You're here for the Hyuuga wealth, aren't you?"

"What? No, I'm definitely not after the money."

"Yeah, that's what they all say. Everybody that comes here as a candidate for a Hyuuga's wife always ends up having some kind of bad intention. Don't think that you can come here and bat your long stupid lashes and then expect Neji to fall for you and give you anything that you want. Oh, don't you shake your head at me! I know it's true. I saw it in all the movies!"

Leiko shook her head gently, biting a smile. "I'm sorry that you feel that way. But the truth is, I don't even need your money. You see, my father back home is quite powerful himself. I don't exactly need to inherit the Hyuuga's wealth to survive."

Hanabi narrowed her eyes. "That's what they all say."

"Hanabi, I'm serious. I'm really not after the Hyuuga's money."

"I don't believe a single word you're saying—"

She stopped suddenly when the atmosphere had gone tense and cold. She turned to her left to see that Neji appeared from his room, and he was casting her the most disapproving glare she had ever seen. The intensity almost rivalled Hiashi's when he was at his angriest. "Hanabi-sama," he muttered, deathly quiet. "Do not speak of such nonsense. Leiko is much better than everyone else who had come. And she doesn't deserve this hogwash that you're giving her."

Hanabi could only stare at her older cousin. She had given this speech to everyone that came to the Hyuuga household, but being the leader's daughter, she was never scolded at. This was the first time anyone—let alone the impassive Neji—stood up to her. She huffed, and finally spun around to leave.

"Hanabi-sama is suspicious of everyone," Tenten said suddenly, coming out of her own room. "She gave that speech to me too, except I can say that you handled it way better." And Neji didn't defend her then, but she wasn't going to mention that.

Leiko laughed. "Don't worry, I probably would have snapped if she went on any longer. Good thing Neji was here, right? He seems to be saving everyone."

Tenten managed an awkward laugh, especially when she felt Neji's gaze on her. "Well, I'm going to get ready. When should I meet you guys?"

"How about twenty minutes from now, at the gates?" Leiko turned back to Neji when Tenten disappeared back into her room. "So are you ready?"

"Yes."

"Did you eat properly?"

Neji raised an eyebrow, but he nodded.

"A good meal is essential." Leiko smiled shyly, feeling slightly nervous and awkward for the first time. What was she supposed to say now, especially when he was so close to her? And it wasn't like he was making an effort to talk. No wonder so many people called him antisocial. "So," she said after a little while, "should we just wait for Tenten out here?"

"No."

Leiko attempted to nod intelligently and understandingly as she glanced at Tenten's room. What was she supposed to say, yet again? An idea suddenly flickered in her mind. She abruptly turned back to him, her eyes bright. "Neji, in the meantime, can you show me your room?"

Neji fixed his pale ivory eyes upon her for a moment, and although it felt evasive, Leiko decided that he was pondering and deciding on something. Finally, he exhaled inaudibly and entered his door. He left it open after he went in, and Leiko took that as an invitation. She entered happily.

The inside of his room wasn't something she didn't expect. She had always pictured him as a guy who enjoyed darker colours, along with some neutrals to add a hint of light. His walls were white, as were his pillows and desk, and the wooden floor was a dark mahogany brown, but everything else was black. The large window across from the door was draped with black curtains, but a surprisingly large amount of light poured in and lit up the entire room. And in the middle of the room stood Neji, who stood motionless. He glanced at her, looking more apathetic than ever. "This is my room."

"It's really nice. Very interesting." Leiko walked around, setting her eyes on the immaculate furniture. They were all polished and there wasn't even a speck of dirt on anything. She stopped by his large white desk, admiring all the numerous scrolls that were neatly placed in rows. A little black satin box in the corner caught her eye. "What's this?"

Neji, who had been staring at her intently the whole time, immediately froze. "That's… that's nothing important."

"Then may I see it?"

Leiko, assuming Neji's lack of response was a 'yes', opened the tiny box carefully. Her eyes were in awe when she saw the necklace and touched it gently. "Wow, this is gorgeous. The design is so intricate, so detailed yet practical at the same time. I think it really suits you. But… it's fake though, isn't it?" She turned to him when he, yet again, didn't reply. "It's fake, but it sure holds a lot of sentimental value, if you keep it on your desk like this. Did you get it?"

"It was a gift."

"From a friend?"

"Sort of."

"Of course. The Hyuugas wouldn't pay for anything that's less than excellent, right?" Leiko's light-hearted attempt to make him smile failed. Instead he nodded solemnly, showing no sign to disagreement. "Well, I'm sure you wear this a lot."

"Not exactly."

Leiko's eyebrows furrowed. "Isn't this something really special?"

"Not exactly."

"That's not true. You probably would've thrown it away if it doesn't mean anything to you. Unless, you don't like the person that gave it to you."

There was a moment of silence, before Neji finally took the necklace from her. He held it tightly. "Not exactly."

Leiko recognised the way he looked at the present, and smiled slightly. "I'm sure Tenten would appreciate it if she saw you wearing it more often."

Neji, eyes slightly wide, cast her a surprised look. "Why would you assume something like that?"

"Because I'm smart," Leiko replied with a laugh. "But it wasn't that hard to guess. It's a gorgeous and thoughtful gift, which probably means that a girl had picked it out. None of the Hyuugas had given it to you since it was from a friend. Now, automatically I would assume that it was your girlfriend or something, but you're not in a relationship, and you mentioned that this person wasn't anything special." She smiled when Neji didn't disagree. "It has to be Tenten. She's plain and not rich, but I'm sure she means a lot to you. Yet, somehow, you're always shutting her out of your life. You pretty much ignore her, but what she gave you means a lot to you. You know that, even if you deny it."

"That's not true."

"About denying or the fact that she means a lot to you?" She smiled when he didn't reply. "She's a friend of yours, so treat her like one. Come on, let's go. I'm sure Tenten's finished by now."

And with that, Leiko left, leaving Neji with Tenten's gift in his hands.

* * *

It was a short and uneventful trip to the hospital. No one really spoke within the group consisting of Leiko, Tenten and Neji. The Hyuuga prodigy was naturally quiet and conservative, while Tenten and Leiko were trying to take in the emptiness of the streets. It didn't seem like the normal Konoha they knew; it was way too quiet and the life just wasn't present anymore. Even the elders that would normally sit on their balcony to watch people weren't there anymore. The only things that were present in abundance were the pill dispensers.

"Hopefully this epidemic will go away soon," Leiko murmured as they reached the hospital. Again, Sasuke and Naruto were there, handing out the various types of pills to swallow before entering. They looked different this time.

The hospital was such a contrast to the streets. The hospital was full of people, even though none of them were exactly screaming or yelling. Neji could tell that the ruckus had died down a bit; most likely, all these people were waiting to visit their sick beloved ones.

There was a big sign above them, indicating where all the helpers were supposed to line up to register. There were two lines; one for the ninjas and the other was for the regular, everyday villagers. At this point, the group of three separated, and Tenten, being more of a ninja, simply decided to follow Neji. It was quiet between the two as they waited, even though there were conversations held by people all around them. Tenten shifted uncomfortably.

"You know," Neji suddenly intoned.

He looked at her, who seemed slightly surprised by the sudden attention. She deserved an apology from him, he suddenly realised. He owed that much to her.

He had accused her before and said things that she didn't quite deserve, even if she was constantly irritating him. He rejected and ignored every kind gesture she had made. And on top of that, she told him of her problems as if she trusted him. What kind of person was he, if he was the person she was looking for but didn't say anything?

However, instead of apologising, he pointed to the line where Leiko was waiting. "You're supposed to be standing there," he said flatly. "You weren't asked by Tsunade-sama, like the rest of us ninjas are. You're volunteering."

"Oh."

She didn't know whether to be happy that he finally spoke or sad because he just indirectly insulted her. She plastered on a smile. "Well, okay. Um, I guess I'll see you later then."

Neji nodded, and with a slight feeling of dejection, Tenten simply went to the other line, where she met Leiko. Leiko seemed happy enough to see Tenten, and after filling out forms, they both chatted until it was their turn to register with the secretary. Tenten didn't miss the strange look the secretary had when she mentioned that she had no last name.

"Yamamoto-san," the secretary said pleasantly, handing the girl her newly formed identification card. "You will be working with the medical assistants. You will help them with whatever they need, including photocopying extra files and bringing them messages and whatnot."

"Tenten," she proceeded to say, and the way her tone left off on an uncompleted high note implied that there was something missing. The woman's smile faltered slightly, and now it looked rather forced. "You're a ninja, but you haven't attended the academy. There are quite a few references from other ninjas though… Sakura… Ino… You're apparently very responsible and capable of anything a ninja is. Hm. Where should we place you?"

"Aha," she said after a moment. "Tsunade-sama just messaged me. She needs an extra ninja. Well, I suppose at a time like this, even you'll qualify." She gave Tenten a tiny piece of paper. "Meet her in her office in the F wing. That's the door all the way to the left when you exit the elevator—it's the only one without a room number. You won't miss it."

"Alright. Thank you."

Tenten hastily grabbed her identification card after it was printed and entered the closest elevator in sight. She hated the crowdedness; it was smelly and she literally had to wade her way through the hoards of people. The loud buzz was immediately cut off when the metal doors closed. She sighed in relief.

Finding Tsunade's room wasn't hard. It was the only room whose door was open and, like the secretary had mentioned, it had no room number. Voices were heard in the silent corridor, and although they weren't very loud, she immediately knew that they belonged to Neji and Tsunade. And there was also this other male, who was much louder and sounded much more enthusiastic. She couldn't help but smile; perhaps this would be her chance to work with Neji. And there would be that other boy, but she was quite certain that he would be much nicer than Neji.

"Tsunade-sama," she heard the unknown male shout, "I must know if I can return back to my regular training routine! Because you have not given me consent, Gai-sensei reduces everything by half. It is simply too frustrating! I can't reach my full potential!"

Tenten furrowed her brows. Who was that excited to train?

"You're both fine and can do whatever you want," Tsunade said, tapping her ruby nails on her desk. "You were both barely grazed during the tournament."

"Alright! Thank you, thank you Tsunade-sama!"

"Thank you, Tsunade-sama."

"So Lee, Neji, there is something—" Tsunade-sama was cut off when Tenten entered the room with a smile. It didn't falter, even when Neji turned to glance at her with an annoyed look. The brunette bowed gracefully in respect. "Good morning, Tsunade-sama. You asked for me?"

"Yes, yes. Tenten, right? Please sit."

Both the other males in the room were standing, but Tenten gladly took her seat. "Hey, Neji. And you are?"

"Lee!" The green clad boy that sported a black bowl cut grinned at her. She could have sworn that for a moment, the sunlight hit his pearly whites and flashed a beaming light at her. "Tenten! What a delightful name, to match such a beautiful girl! May I address you with your first name?"

Tenten laughed. "Sure."

"Enough with the socialising," Tsunade-sama interposed with a hint of annoyance. She ran a hand through her blond locks, and stifled a yawn. "Now listen Neji and Lee. As I was saying, you probably remember the last major mission we had. It was an attempt to find the roots of the current epidemic. Six of your fellow ninjas were sent in two teams, at different times. The first team, consisting of Hinata, Shino and Kiba, came back unharmed. Naruto, although he was part of the second group, returned perfectly fine. Chouji and Shikamaru, however, are both now hospitalised, with the disease."

Tsunade looked down. "I don't know why Naruto isn't sick. He only mentioned that he went further ahead than the rest of them, but I still don't see why he's not affected…"

Lee put a finger on his chin. "What did they find out?"

"Various things, I suppose. The first team discovered the essential facts. The stocks for our medicine stores were all interfered in the same area—from the border of our neighbouring village, to the forest that's located far north of the leaf village."

"That's a rather large area," Neji commented. "But did they find who was actually inserting the… disease?"

"I'm assuming it's someone that resides near or perhaps even in our village, for easy access. Hinata's team found a dead corpse near our border, probably killed by one of our enemies. The killing method was rather familiar—it was unique to a single country, so they scouted the surrounding area. They found nothing. However, when I received this message, I looked up the killing technique, and sent Naruto's team to the suspected country. My assumptions were correct."

"And?"

Shadows were cast underneath Tsunade's eyes. "Akira's father is behind it."

It was completely silent for a moment. Immediately, Tenten spun around, to see both Neji and Lee frozen. Lee was Neji's other teammate, wasn't he? She recalled Neji mentioning her once or twice, but she couldn't quite remember exactly why or when. Of course—why else would Tsunade-sama call both Lee and Neji and tell them about their top secret discoveries? Obviously she wanted them to know of their teammate's doings.

"I-I don't understand," Lee finally said. "Why? Why would they do something like this?"

Tsunade-sama shook her head. "I don't know. I haven't given anything much thought. I've been in the laboratory for the past few weeks. Since Akira was once your teammate, I was hoping that you could put some of your input into this."

Tenten had never seen Tsunade so tired, or so confused. The woman had always been her role model; Tsunade was always direct, professional and strong. She was the Hokage. Everyone looked up to her. And she led them. So when was she ever unsure of herself?

She turned to Neji, who still had not spoken. Was he that shocked? It seemed like a shadow had cast over his eyes, but he was also contemplating at the moment. Realisation flickered in his eyes. "Did… they find out?" he finally said, quietly. "That… Hiashi is still alive?"

Tenten furrowed her brows. Why wouldn't Hiashi be alive?

Tsunade's smile was grave. "Yes, that crossed my mind as well. I thought that there would be some other reason, but I guess it's pretty obvious, isn't it? This is what I've been afraid of. For the past years, we have been extremely careful when letting members of the lighting country in. Hiashi would then be staying inside, or out on a mission."

"Yet they somehow found out," Neji countered, "and now we're back into that same predicament."

Tenten was the only one who couldn't keep up. "What predicament? Why shouldn't Hiashi still be alive?"

They ignored her questions. "So is this some kind of way to seek revenge after we tricked them?" Lee asked.

"Threatening the entire village, and even neighbouring countries is unreasonable," Neji pointed out. "If what they really wanted was the secret of the Byakuugan, then why would they want to implicate the entire population of Konoha?"

"To get revenge," Tsunade instantly replied. "It's human nature, isn't it? They were humiliated. And now, they're most likely going to kill off everyone, demand for the secret, and then simply leave. It would then be difficult to fight back, as we would be very, very vulnerable."

"Then just give him the secret," Tenten suddenly said. "Why don't we just give him the secret? That way he'll stop, and then we could demand for the cure to this epidemic. Then rest of the village would be safe."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Neji retorted scornfully. "That secret has been cherished and kept for years."

"What, so your little secret is more important than all the lives of Konoha put together?"

"That's not the point," Neji replied, narrowing his eyes. "The Hyuuga clan is the most noble and powerful clan in all of the Fire country. If they find out our weakness, it will be fatal. It will potentially be the end of Konoha's strongest ninjas, as the Hyuugas make up the majority of the teams. And once all the other countries find out that we're weak and vulnerable, they'll start attacking. Who would protect the village then?"

Tenten stood up, narrowing her eyes as well. "I'm sure there are other ninjas that would do that job. And that's just assuming we'll even get to that point."

"Of course we will. There is still a quarter of the population that is not affected by the epidemic."

"Do you even hear yourself? That's three quarters that are being hospitalised, and are probably dying at the moment!"

"The healthy quarter of the population and the ninjas are enough to keep the village alive."

"Are you kidding me? What if some new disease pops out of nowhere? What if it's even more serious?"

Neji raised an eyebrow. "We are more prepared now. We guard the borders."

"Oh please. We so aren't ready for anything more. We didn't see this epidemic coming—how do you explain that? This Raikage probably has something up his sleeves. If you don't give up your secret now, then there would be no village to protect!"

There was a silence as Neji simply glared at her. Tenten gazed coolly back at him.

"That's enough," Tsunade cut in, glancing between the two teens. "I didn't call you two up here to fight."

She continued before they had the chance to apologise. "Now, back to my point. I just wanted to give you a heads up, as this epidemic concerns your past teammate. Which is why I should send Gai's team. I really should've sent you guys, but I had no idea as to who was behind it. I know exactly who brings over the stocks of the medicine, but I didn't know who interfered with them. I tried contacting the apothecaries who send us this rare herbs. Apparently, every delivery person is missing."

"Well, you three don't have to go anywhere now," she started to say again. "There is a reason as to why I called all three of you. I want you to find this herb for me. It's a very rare herb, and I think it has been seen in the forest, located just a little north of Konoha. You three should split up, as there is a lot of area to cover. It looks like this."

She opened a scroll and showed the three ninjas an intricate drawing of the herb. It looked rather ordinary, something that anyone would be able to imagine. However, there was one little thing that was odd about the plant; the stem branched out many times, and each end was curled towards the main stem. It looked almost prickly.

"Here is a diagram of the forest, and where I think most of this herb grows. I would suggest you guys search the west first."

"Alright. Do we leave now?" Lee asked. "There is going to be a thunderstorm in the afternoon."

"You should go after the thunderstorm ceases," Tsunade replied. "If you go now, you'll only have an hour before you'll be soaking wet."

"So what do we do in the meantime?"

"You three… can watch the kids." Tsunade nearly smiled at the thought of the stoic prodigy and excited, green-clad boy taking care of children. "There is a large room in the opposite wing. The kids that we put in there belong to parents who are infected by the disease. Their parents are too sick to tend their children, and they're obviously too young to take care of themselves. We don't want the youth to get sick as well, so we placed them in a room that is as far as possible from the actual disease. Well, they're still in the hospital technically, but nobody who resides in any room from that wing is infected."

"Kids?" asked Lee right away. His eyes burned with determination. "Is this some kind of physical test we must pass?"

Tsunade raised a blonde eyebrow. "Sure, Lee. You will gain… experience. Taking care of loud, noisy, impatient, whiny little kids." When she saw Neji's expression, she added, "it's an order. I can't have my doctors there doing jobs that you three can do."

"Kids are there," Tenten said, who immediately thought of Amaya. "Would Amaya be there?"

"No."

Realisation hit the brunette. "Oh, that was a stupid question to ask. Amaya's contagious."

"No, she isn't."

"What? I don't understand."

"Well, you see." Tsunade inhaled deeply. "Well, I supposed you're involved with Amaya so it wouldn't hurt for you to know. I checked with Amaya—she was the first person recorded to have this disease. Before I created the medicine—you know, the capsule that prevents people from getting infected, Amaya was already here. Tenten and all the other nurses came to visit her, but none of them were affected, despite the fact that they weren't protected."

Tenten tilted her head questioningly. "So the disease… isn't contagious?"

"It is, during the embryonic stages. I concluded that the disease isn't transmittable after its early stages. I checked with other patients, and my assumptions were confirmed. Amaya, when you visited her, was in a stage where her disease wasn't contagious anymore. After a week or so after being affected, the patients are usually in that state. However, by then, they would've affected approximately three to four people without even knowing it."

"I thought that there were symptoms," Lee interposed, "which included coughing of blood, tantrums and headaches."

"I thought so at first. But these symptoms only occur after a while, when they're not in their 'contagious' stage anymore. That's why I created the immunity pill in the first place—everyone must take it, as nine out of ten people don't know they've got the disease."

"Well then why keep one side of the hospital for the patients that are affected by the epidemic?" Tenten asked. "If they aren't contagious, then why isolate them?"

"That's because it varies from person to person. The incubation period is different for each individual, and the symptoms show up whenever they want. I'm still unsure of many things concerning this virus. I'm not even sure it's a virus—sometimes, it almost looks like a bug."

Tenten grimaced.

"I have a question," Neji said. "Why did you let the tournament still take place? One infected person could transmit the disease to the entire crowd."

"They're taking pills before they're all going. We're making lots of them." Tsunade's smile tightened. "But the disease is constantly changing. Tenten has a point, when she said that the Raikage probably has something up his sleeves. He seems to have control over the intensity of the virus. They're becoming stronger and stronger, and the stages are frequently changing. I have constantly to make new versions of the pill, along with other doctors, but keeping up is hard. Sometimes I'm afraid that I'll slip up and the pill won't be as effective. And my theory is that the immunity won't last long, as everything is always changing. But at the same time I can't overdose anyone with these pills—they do contain a trace amount of the dead virus, as well as other various substances that can not be taken in abundance."

"So it's a bacteria, then?"

Tsunade tiredly put her hand against her forehead. "I'm not sure. It's like nothing I have ever seen before."

Neji gestured towards the bulletin board Tsunade had hung up—it contained ads of all the festivals and upcoming tournaments. "Then why endanger everyone?"

"I'm doing the best I can," Tsunade snapped, losing her patience for a moment. "Tournaments are, by far, the most popular form of entertainment, other than festivals. People pay money, and we use that money to improve our treatments at the hospitals. Besides, I don't know if we'll have another chance to have a tournament." Her eyes were grave. "Now, all of you, please leave. I need to sleep. I have given you more information that I should have… and I need some beer…"

The three nodded slowly and left.

"Wow," Tenten murmured when they were heading towards the children's room. "I've never seen Tsunade-sama so…"

"Dishevelled? In a mess? Confused?" Lee nodded intelligently. "I know. But I'm sure that the fire in her will burn once more after this epidemic passes! We all must be strong!"

"We don't know when that will be," Neji murmured, and that was the end to their conversation.

The infant nursery room was huge. It was the only painted room in the hospital—with maybe the exception of Amaya's—and it was a bright yellow. It felt like they had stepped out of the hospital and into a real daycare of some sort. There were intricate flowers painted on the walls, but there were also soccer balls painted as well. Fluffy green carpet made to resemble grass covered the floor. On the left side of the room was a large treasure chest—there was everything in there, ranging from wigs to crowns to toy trucks. There was also a large brown shelf containing many books, and above that was a large alphabet strip taped to the wall. It looked like the perfectly cosy place for children to spend their time in.

That being said, it was the noisiest place Tenten had ever been in. There were both babies and children. Multiple babies stayed in a crib—and they were all crying, little boys were ripping dolls' heads off, and little girls were crying because of that.

A very annoyed Sasuke and tousled Naruto stood in the middle. The blond immediately cried in relief. "Thank God help has arrived!" Naruto instantly gave Tenten the baby he had in his arm. "Here, you're a girl! Go do something! It won't stop crying!"

"Me?" Tenten stared at the infant who began to cry so hard its face turned beet red. "So what if I'm a girl? I don't know what to do!"

"I don't know, use your mommy instincts!"

"What? I was never pregnant!"

"Well you should know more than me! Comfort it!"

Tenten began to rock the little girl back and forth. "C'mon, don't cry…"

"You're holding it wrong!" Lee repositioned Tenten's hands. "You have to support her neck! And she's probably just upset because she's either hungry or… full. Check her diaper!" Lee pushed Tenten to the nearby table, grabbed a towel and covered the surface. "Yes, I feel the need to take charge! So listen to what I have to say! Naruto-kun, provide me with a brand new diaper. Sasuke-kun, get me baby powder and some baby wipes! Now, Tenten, do your magic! Unwrap the creature!"

"Lee, that's not helpful! I have no magic!" Tenten tried to focus on calming the baby. Yet she could barely hear herself think with the surrounding ruckus. "Can somebody _please_ calm the children? Neji, Sasuke, Naruto, do _something_!"

"I was never taught how to take care of children," Neji said simply, and sat on a green miniature chair that didn't quite fit him.

"To think that I would have to deal with something like this," Sasuke added, and sat next to Neji on a pink miniature chair. "Fighting, that I can do. But babies?"

Tenten knew her attempts to convince them would only be in vain. She turned to Lee desperately, who immediately grabbed the closest child. "You! I command you to be quiet! If you don't listen to orders now, you won't grow to be a strong, disciplined ninja!"

"But I don't want to be a ninja," the six year old said, grinning lazily. "My dad owns a big company that I'll get to rule. And you have bushy brows."

"They're thick!" Lee replied. He put down the boy and tried calling over the noise. "Attention all! I command you all to be quiet! If you don't listen to orders now, you won't grow to be a strong, disciplined—"

Two children grabbed onto his legs. "You talk too much, green man," one of the children said.

The other child nodded in agreement. "Give us a ride, if you're such a strong, disk and peed ninja!"

The next few hours were, although loud, manageable. Tenten never ended up having to change any diapers because a nurse came in temporarily and let them all have a break. When they returned, a good quarter of the children were gone because some relatives were contacted and brought them home. Hinata was also there when they returned. Naruto, because others were present, refrained from doing anything, but Tenten didn't miss the way he glanced at Hinata.

"When will the thunderstorm pass?" Lee asked sadly when the sky rumbled yet again. Most of the children had gone under tables because they were either scared or Naruto convinced them that the hospital could potentially collapse. Neji and Sasuke both weren't helping—they claimed that they were watching the cribs. They refused to touch the "stinky, milk-and-powder-and-poop smelling little animals". In Tenten's opinion, Neji totally deserved it when a baby barfed on his arm.

Within the past hours, Tenten had grown to love the infants. She was currently rocking a chubby baby in her arms. Her arms were tired from carrying so many children, but she didn't really care. She couldn't help but stare at the pudgy faced baby that kept reaching up to touch her hair. She poked its velvety cheeks, and in response, the baby curled his fingers around one of hers. He gurgled happily as Tenten began to scrunch up her nose and make funny faces.

A little girl, aged five or so, began to climb up on a chair behind Neji and Sasuke. She began to pet the blue-haired boy's hair, and began to giggle. "Pretty," she cooed. "Like night sky, or ocean—pretty waters!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, but didn't proceed to move or tell her to stop.

The little girl moved to the next chair and began to touch Neji's much longer hair. "Long and dark," she said thoughtfully. "Like poo-poo."

"What?" Neji demanded.

Everyone laughed wholeheartedly, and even harder when the little girl jumped onto his back, holding onto his hair like it was the mane of a horse. "Tomoko really likes you," Sasuke commented, smirking.

Meanwhile, the baby next to him rolled over too much and hit its head on the crib. It woke up and began to wail, causing the other infants in the same crib to cry as well. That was the moment Neji snapped. "That is it," he said, standing up. He went up to Tenten and grabbed the little girl on his back. "Take her. I'm leaving."

"No! Neji, you can't leave. Tsunade-sama said—"

"I know what she said, but I'm leaving. I would much rather look for the herb in the damn thunder than stay in this suffocating and revolting room. These… these children are driving me insane. Beyond, actually. They keep poking me, pulling at my hair and I have barf remains on my hand. They're loud, whiny and God knows why they're bugging me. I never did anything to them."

"They're not bothering you on purpose and you know it."

"Do you want to smell the barf residue?"

They both stopped when Tomoko suddenly peeked through the gap between Tenten's legs. "Me like you, Neji-kun," she said softly. She didn't understand much but his tone scared her. "Sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry," Tenten said gently. "Neji's just mean."

Neji narrowed his eyes at the brunette.

"I like you too," little Fuji piped in. He tugged at the bottom of Neji's pants. "I want to be like you. Strong and disciplined."

Lee, who was playing cards with the older children, looked up and grinned widely. "Ha! I knew it! I knew my words were made of inspiration! Good advice never goes wasted. Oh, it feels so great to pass on a positive message." He threw all the cards that he was holding and spread his arms like a lunatic. "All children! Group hug! Let's spread positive things!"

Neji raised an eyebrow, and turned back to stare at Tenten with scepticism. "And in addition, I have to waste more time dealing with Lee, as if I haven't dealt with him all my life."

Tenten sighed. "Can't you just be more patient? The storm is bound to clear up in a little while."

"I have the Byakuugan. I can see through the rain."

Fuji continued to tug at the hem of Neji's pants. "Please stay. I want to learn from Hyuuga Neji."

"Come on Neji, just stay. Fuji's adorable. How can you say no to him?"

"Like this." Neji shoved the little boy, and Fuji went flying. There wasn't enough force to severely injure him, but Fuji hit his back against the bookshelf and began to cry.

It was quiet for the first time. Everyone present in the room stopped with whatever they were doing and stared at the Hyuuga prodigy with wide eyes. Tenten gasped in horror and quickly put down the baby she had in her arms. She ran over to Fuji, who Hinata was already comforting, but Fuji showed no signs of calming down and only pointed to his back. "It… it hurts!"

"Oh my goodness," Hinata murmured when she lifted his shirt. It revealed a long, red, purplish mark caused by the impact, and there were already the beginnings of a huge bruise.

Tenten glared daggers at Neji. "You… you! What is _wrong _with you? Why did you just kick him like that? He's a child! Neji—don't just roll your eyes—answer me! Are you going to at least apologise? Get a doctor, a nurse—_do _something!"

Neji ignored Tenten as well as the other people in the room. He approached Fuji slowly. Fuji shrank away from him, but Neji firmly gripped his chin.

"Neji," Tenten warned. Even Naruto stood up to keep a hand on the prodigy's shoulder.

"I'm not going to hurt him," Neji said simply, calmly removing Naruto's hand. His ivory eyes were impassive but cold. "Now you listen, Fuji. Are you sure about what you said? That you want to be like me?" He gave a short, lifeless laugh. "Then for starters, stop crying. You'll never become disciplined if you can't even control your own emotions. What? One little shove and you're crying? You have to be able to stand back on your own two feet, no matter what. You can't let anything stop you from getting what you want, even if it costs you your life. You're pathetic right now. If you can't even hold in your tears, then you will never be strong."

"Neji," Tenten said slowly, her voice deadly. She was beyond angry. "We're leaving—now."

"Finally."

"Wait!" Lee stood up. "Where you going? We still need to find that herb!"

Tenten stopped for a moment, and handed Lee the diagram that Tsunade had given them earlier. "How about this? You search the very west of the forest. Neji and I will cover the rest… we're going now."

"You're going in the rain?"

"The s-skies haven't cleared up yet," Hinata added, glancing up with worry. "Maybe you should w-wait for a little while."

"Don't worry," Tenten said sarcastically, mimicking Neji. "Neji here has the Byakuugan. He can see through the rain!"

Naruto coughed awkwardly. "Well, uh, call a doctor on your way out."

"Will do." Tenten grabbed Neji's arm, and with an extra firm grip, led the both of them out the room. Tenten honestly had the intention to leave the hospital and start searching—she was basically doing anything to get Neji away from the children. But at this point, she was so angry she really needed to vent. So she shoved the both of them into a storage room.

Neji's voice was sceptical and condescending. "This is not the forest." He eyed the large laundry basket that was filled with dirty linen. "Do you have a thing for stinky things?"

Tenten couldn't help but gape at him. "You… you jerk! You cold, stoic, unfeeling idiot! You bastard, you son of a bitch—"

"Insults won't get us anywhere."

"Hopefully it'll get something into your head. Maybe you'll actually feel something for once!"

"And that something is…?"

"Guilt, shame, whatever!"

"Why should I feel guilty? I asked to leave many times."

"Don't you feel any shame for shoving a seven year old like that? Fuji just wanted to be like you. How can you be so heartless?"

"Little guy has to toughen up. He won't survive if he starts crying after something like that."

"He's _seven._ You're _sixteen_. There's a difference, you asshole."

"Oh, I see that the insults are present once more."

"Yes, because you deserve it, you… you!"

"I'm what? Do your best. I've heard it all before."

Tenten's scoffed in disbelief. "Really, Neji? Then what would it take for you to actually _feel _something?"

"I don't know. You tell me. You're supposed to be my peer tutor."

"Okay. Well, firstly, don't ever treat children like that," she said, facing him with surprisingly enraged eyes. "You can insult people like me—you do that all the time, but don't corrupt such innocent kids! What kind of person are you?" When she saw that he opened his mouth to retort, she quickly added, "it's a rhetorical question, Neji. I know what type of person you are. I just… I just never thought you'd be so cold even around children! And what you did to Fuji—what was up with that? They're such harmless creatures. What did they ever to do to you? I can't believe you're so heartless! You can be as mean as you want to me, and I can suck it up, but don't just say things like that to children! How can you be such a… a bastard?"

Neji raised an eyebrow. "Then leave me alone. It's who I am. And we both know that what I said was the truth."

He was going to say more, but Tenten cut him off. "No, Neji, that's not true. You're being a bastard by saying that. No, you're not just a bastard. You're so much worse, you know that?" She sudden recalled the moments where he put her down in some way—not thanking her for the gift, insulting her, pushing away the medicine, refusing to accept her. And look at the exchange they were having now—since when was Neji so talkative and cruel? He was only being this way because he was talking to her—the no name commoner. Every speck of annoyance and pent-up anger she felt for this ungrateful boy bubbled up. "_Why_ are you so unwilling to be decent? You were nice at one point—you actually apologised to me then—so what's your problem? Take me, for example. Why can't you just accept me? Is it because I'm not rich? Because I have no name? Why do you always have to shut me out?"

"I—"

"You know what your problem is, Hyuuga Neji? You're too used to being called perfect. You're always admired by people. You only get compliments, and that inflates your ego like crazy. But you always think that you're the only one that's aware of your pain. You undermine others, battering their confidence beyond imagination. You always think everybody's below your level, below your beloved Hyuuga clan. You think everyone's stupid, you think everyone's not as mature and strong and smart as you. You keep thinking that everybody's oblivious as to what you're going through, but that's not true. Your emotions are written clearly on your face." That wasn't necessarily true, but she was in the middle of an epiphany. "You're stubborn. You always stick with your first train of thought, never stopping to consider other options. You only have negative views of people, always accusing them, always thinking that there are bad intentions behind their seemingly good actions. Would you just wake up? Open your eyes, Neji. Stop acting—no, not acting, because you're not acting. You're nothing but a conceited, cynical and pessimistic jerk."

Neji opened his mouth, but shut it again when he had nothing to say.

"Stop putting on that self-pity act. Stop thinking that you have some hidden pain that no one else knows about. You think you're the only one that has been hurt? You think you're the only one that has to face hardships? I've said it once, and I'm going to say it again. Stop acting like you're the only one suffering!"

"And one more thing, Hyuuga Neji. If you're stripped of your Hyuuga name, you're nothing. If you never had the Byakuugan and the fighting skills to start with, you're nothing. You have no other interests, no other hobbies, no one—you have nothing to turn to. Doesn't it make you sad to know that you're a nobody?" She stared at him, feeling more stirred and riled up than she had been in a while. "I know what you're probably thinking. And I know. Me? I know I'm not any better. But unlike you, I try to get things through hard work. I have no name, no special inherited bloodline, no special techniques, no talent. I may be called a failure, but at least I try. You, on the other hand, were given everything. You have family, you have money, wealth, power, talent and even the looks. You don't have to try hard to accomplish your goals. You have so many advantages. Yet, you spend your entire life training and keeping everyone out of your life. Is that what you think is a good and successful life?"

Neji's eyes darkened. "Don't pretend like you know me."

"Maybe I don't," Tenten finished, smiling tightly. "But I'm right, aren't I? You being cold to everybody—it's to prevent yourself from getting hurt again, isn't it?"

Neji didn't speak and looked away.

"And I know this is getting off topic, but I'm going to get it out right now, since you're actually listening for a change." Tenten actually seemed surprised and strangely satisfied at this realisation. "Okay, so first thing tomorrow, you are going to apologise to Fuji. Any objections?" When he didn't reply, Tenten took it as a yes and swerved around. "Good. So now that I'm done, let's go find the herb!"

"Finally," Neji muttered, but bumped into Tenten when she suddenly stopped. "What now?"

The brunette turned to face him with a slight smile. "Oh, and one more thing, Hyuuga Neji. There are people who aren't out there to get you, you know. I hate to break it to you, but it's time to break that bubble of yours. Your family cares for you. I'm sure your friends care for you—heck, even I care for you." She smiled dryly. "Just because you have the Byakuugan, it doesn't mean that what you see is what you get. Maybe you're the one blinded, for once. I'm done being insulted by you. I was given a job, and the harder you make this for me, the harder I'm going to try."

"I'm not some evil scheming devil in disguise," she added when he didn't reply. She was feeling rather bold at this moment. "What can I say that will actually convince you? Do you want me to make a promise?" Before Neji could look up in surprise, she smiled and lifted her hand dramatically, catching the attention of the passing townspeople. "If this makes you feel better, then whatever—I'll do it. Okay, well, I, Tenten, promise that I will never intentionally hurt Hyuuga Neji." There was a spark in her eyes that he hadn't seen in a while. "Is that enough? If that isn't, then I really don't know what to do. I just made a promise in the middle of a street, for crying out loud!"

Neji continued to stare into her eyes, his eyes impassive. "That's a big promise to make."

"I don't care," Tenten said defiantly, confidently gazing back at him. "I never backed down on my words, and I don't plan on doing so either."

His ivory eyes flickered with something, and he glanced away. What was with this girl? She was so persistent and stubborn—not to mention poor and embarrassing. Yet, something about her words were very appealing.

He turned to look back at the strange bundle of happiness, but she wasn't beside him anymore. She was already out the door, at the end of the hallway, close to the exit of the hospital. He caught up with her quickly. "Where are you going?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Where do you think? I'm going outside to search the forest."

"You're not supposed to go alone."

She shrugged. "Yeah, well. We both know that the herb's located in the forest. Lee's already covering the west. It's going to be faster if I take east side and you cover the middle area."

"Fine."

He didn't take one more glance at her before he sprinted off to the opposite direction. Tenten inwardly sighed; she was relieved he didn't act any different after she yelled at him like that. Somehow, back there, she couldn't control her words; they just spilled out, rolling off her tongue before she could stop them. They were mean and she didn't mean to sound so harsh and critical. Yet, at the same time, she was glad she got it off her chest; he at least knew that she wasn't completely oblivious to what he was feeling. He took it well, even though he seemed quite surprised by everything she mentioned. Not that she would tell anyone, but she felt a surge of pleasure when he looked genuinely baffled at her words.

She glanced up and gulped; the deeper she went into the forest, the darker the sky became. There was nothing visible in the sky except for dark grey clouds. Something didn't feel right. She didn't feel aware of her surroundings—it was like some of her senses were stifled and she couldn't sense anything. She wasn't scared of the dark or prone to being lost or anything—in fact, this was the same forest she searched a long time ago. She had been looking for yarrow then to heal Neji's wounds.

She tried to shake off the uncomfortable feelings by thinking of something else. Inevitably, she began thinking about the hospital, and Amaya, and meeting Tsunade, and how amazing it was to be working in the same hospital as the Hokage.

She shielded her face when rain hit her face. She cursed. At this moment, she wished she had Neji's Byakuugan. It was hard enough to see in the dark, but it just had to thunder and rain. The vicious sheets of rain made it nearly impossible to see and was really beginning to soak her clothes. It was hard to run on the slippery, muddy ground. If she just took one wrong step, she would slip—

She didn't notice that the land was slanted until she fell and started to slide. Her eyes widened; how did she not see that she was near the edge of the cliff? She had completely lost track of where she was because she was so focused on finding the medicinal herb. She instinctively stuck out both her arms and expelled chakra, hoping to create some friction between her and the ground. Yet her efforts were in vain. She only continued to glide.

She squinted. There was a good distance before she reached the edge of the cliff. How long was the fall? She couldn't tell. Eyes widened, adrenaline pumping, she immediately pushed her limbs firmly onto the ground. She couldn't find anything to grasp and she let out a yelp of desperation. There had to be some way to stop. There had to be—she was the only one out here. Neji wasn't that far away, but he couldn't possibly find her in such a state. Why would he, anyway? It was evident he never wanted her in his life.

But she called out his name anyway.

She shut her eyes. Somehow, she still didn't feel the danger of her predicament—she lost that feeling of uncertainty. What did that mean? That she was going to die painlessly? Or maybe the danger didn't really hit her yet. Or maybe, maybe this meant that she would survive the fall, like she had survived many other incidents. But then again, what would she feel if she didn't survive the fall? She would be just numb and unfeeling. The only thing left of her would simply be a body that would eventually decompose. Who would miss her? Certainly not—

A hand suddenly grabbed her wrist. She could swear that it cut her circulation off, but in the spur of the moment, she didn't really care.

"You idiot," a familiar voice murmured.

"Neji," she breathed before she even looked up. She had never felt so relieved to hear his voice. How he was able to find her in the rain? How did he know exactly where she was? Why would he save her, even after she insulted him like that? Yet, when she finally glanced at the prodigy, she noticed that his Byakuugan was activated and his eyes were looking more focused and tensed than usual. Was he actually worried?

"Push against the ground with chakra," he said quickly. "Do something. I can't hold on much longer."

With his other hand, Neji was holding onto the branch of a nearby tree—why didn't Tenten see that before? However, it was terribly bent over, looking like it would snap any second from supporting both their weights.

"It won't work!" Tenten's voice was shrill from looking at the branch. "I tried before, but it's impossible against the mud—"

Before she could finish her sentence, the entire branch snapped and the two were sent sliding down. Tenten clamped her eyelids shut—okay, so even though Neji was here he wasn't much of a help. It didn't matter. He risked his life for her, didn't he? That was what mattered.

She finally felt the alarm when they were sent over the edge—the air was suddenly knocked out of her lungs and she knew they were heading straight to the ground. She could faintly see a rushing river way down beneath them. Or was it a lake? She really couldn't tell anymore, because her eyes were blurring from all the force being exerted upon her body. Come to think of it, she honestly couldn't feel anything anymore… was she dead already?

"Relax," Neji suddenly murmured.

His voice made her aware of her senses again. But she didn't really notice the rush of the air anymore. She could only notice how Neji still held tightly onto her wrist. Then, to her immense surprise, she felt him manoeuvre himself—which was nearly impossible in the state they were in—around her, wrapping his body around hers. She felt one arm encircle around her waist, and she instinctively held onto him, but she didn't know what he was up to.

Suddenly she felt a larger gust of wind—if that was possible—and then, all the rushing was gone.

When her eyes opened again, they could only widen at the scene before her. Firstly, she had miraculously survived the fall. But the miracle was Neji—his abilities never ceased to amaze her. Currently, with his free arm, he was expelling a steady amount of chakra against the ground, keeping both of their bodies in the air. The large gust she felt earlier must have been him trying to reduce the impact of their weights for a safe and smooth landing. Slowly, the burst of chakra from his palm lessened, and they both reached the ground without another scratch.

Tenten breathed heavily, still unbelieving of what just happened. No wonder they called him a prodigy. Who else could perform such a technique under such circumstances?

"You inexperienced girl," Neji muttered, staring at her, but it looked like he was making sure she was alright. "You could've gotten killed."

"I'm sorry."

"And look where we are now."

They both glanced up, and Tenten winced at how far below they were. How would they get back up to the forest? The only exit she could think of was the rushing river, but they didn't know where it led to. They could try climbing, but it was far too slippery to grab onto anything. Besides, the climb would be too long—it almost made her nauseous, looking at how high the cliff was. She grimaced. There was no doubt that she would have died if Neji wasn't there; the drop would have easily finished her off.

"Thanks for not dropping me," Tenten finally said. "I don't know what would happened if you didn't save me. I'm sorry. Now we're pretty much stuck, with nowhere to go and on top of it all, we never ended up getting the herb."

"Not necessarily." Neji held out his palm, and revealed the squished herbs that Tsunade had described earlier.

"What—how?" Tenten tried hard not to gape. How was he able to hold onto them, and save both their lives at the same time?

Neji raised an eyebrow. "It's the right type of herbs, if that's what you're thinking."

"No, no, it's not that. It's just that you…" Tenten blinked, trying to get a better look at this boy. "You're incredible."

"What?"

"I'm amazed, that's what. You did everything. The only thing I could do was close my eyes."

The corners of his mouth lifted the slightest bit. "From insulting me to complimenting me? Your opinions change quickly."

"What—?" Tenten suddenly recalled the things she said to him earlier and felt a pang of guiltiness. He still remembered? Well, obviously. He was probably never criticised, especially by some random girl like her. He probably hated her. "Well, thanks again. For finding the herb and for not dropping me back there."

Neji's eyes were impassive. "I wasn't going to let you die, whether I dislike you or not."

Tenten shrugged. "I thought you were merciless with the people you hate. I bet you hated Shino."

"That was different."

"Oh, how so?"

"That was a tournament."

"You nearly took his life."

He eyed her and narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "Can't you just thank me?"

His response was sharp and curt, signalling the end of his patience. Tenten, who was too tired and exhausted to fight, immediately quieted and sat down. She drew her knees closer towards her chest. There was no point in speaking now, and although there were no words exchanged, the silence was comfortable. The sounds of rain falling and the river were soothing. She lifted her head, letting the droplets of rain hit her face and soak her hair. She watched Neji from the corner of her eye; he was standing, clearly thinking of a way to escape. Finally, after a good ten minutes or so, he sighed and sat down, only an arm's length away from her.

"Did you figure anything out?"

"No. Stop bothering me." He immediately turned his back to her. Tenten sighed; was he back to being mad at her again?

"Neji, do you hate me?"

There was a pause, and then finally a sigh. "No."

"Then why does it seem like it?"

"Don't assume things."

"What else should I assume?" Tenten counted off her fingers. "You ignore me, you insult me, you don't care about what I say, and you treat everyone better than me. Like that time there, when I gave you that amulet. Why did you refuse to wear it? Do you just dislike the gift itself, or do you hate it because I gave it to you?"

Neji recalled the little satin box containing the necklace—he had looked at it just this morning, after Leiko questioned him. Yet, at the last moment, he decided to leave it in his room. He didn't need to wear it. Besides, even if he did decide to wear it, it would get ruined, especially with today's events. For people like him, it was best to keep delicate things at home.

"Why do you seem ruder to me than you do to everybody else? Is it because I'm sent to be your peer tutor?" she added when he didn't reply. "Do I bother you that much?"

"No."

"Then why? Why do you have to be so… impossible at times? You ignored me for the past week, but you're still perfectly polite to everyone else. Did I do anything?"

"No."

He clearly wasn't going to give any answers more detailed than that, but Tenten was content with him actually responding. "Well, I'm really sorry for whatever I did. And I'm sorry about what I said to you today. Yes, I did mean those things, but I didn't mean for the words to sound so harsh. You were terribly wrong to hurt Fuji, but at the same time, you didn't exactly deserve my lecturing. Oh, and thanks again, for saving me. The fact that you bothered to save me even after I what I said really means a lot."

Neji could only stare at the rushing river. Was Tenten that selfless? He was the one that was rude to her constantly. He was the one who always ignored her. He was the one who always insulted her, while she treated him with nothing but kindness. Yet, just because she insulted—if he could even call it that—him once, she was apologising for it. He momentarily glanced at the sky. It didn't look like it was going to clear up anytime soon.

So maybe she did care. Wasn't that what he had concluded some time ago, but then rejected that conclusion because he was so untrusting? Maybe trusting her wasn't a weakness. His father had mentioned that companions were mandatory…

He wondered why Tenten was silent all of a sudden. He looked at her, and raised an eyebrow when he saw her sleeping. How could she sleep in such a predicament? Not only were the sounds of the rain distracting and loud, but she shouldn't simply sleep in a secluded area. He could abandon her right now and she would never know until she woke up. She was so convinced that he hated her. Didn't she know better than to sleep in the presence of people that supposedly hated her? They could kill her, ditch her, throw her in the river, take advantage of her, or whatever.

"I'm not asleep yet," she murmured suddenly, breaking into his thoughts. "And I know what you're thinking. I'm not afraid of you leaving me, because I know you won't. I trust you."

Neji remained quiet, trying hard to ignore the way her words made him feel.

He lifted his gaze. The rain and clouds were still vicious and dark as ever, but the sky somehow seemed brighter.

**A/N:** Okie dokes, I'm sorry for the lack of updates, but it's finally here! Finals are over… and I got my report card. Boo! Let's just say, I'm very unhappy. It was alright, but I got my (gasp, all of you) first seventy for history, booo some more. The teacher is evil, I tell you. But my mom thought that it was because I was way too 'distracted' and decided to lecture me, sort of like how Tenten did in this chapter, haha. My mom's words of "inspiration" just really made me angry and I produced the long ass speech. And did anyone notice how I made Neji extra snappier? Well, yeah, I think that was influenced by my mood too haha.

Well anyways, time for my own personal notes! (It's supposed to be the author's notes, but I don't care. I'm cool like that.) So the good news is that a) I got an iPod touch! Woo, it's awesome and I have so many songs on there - more than I used to have on my cell/mp3. And 2) I'm starting swimming lessons again! I totally suck compared to what I was able to do, but whatever. My instructor is really nice and actually pretty cute ;) . And 3) I can write more now! They're all unedited but hey, don't you all love seeing a gazillion typos? ;)

Anyways, I shall go now and continue with my guitar playing. Thanks for reading this super duper long chapter! :)

Love always,

Chigiri Sasaki


	20. Chapter Twenty: Target Training

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything of Naruto.

**Destined to Love  
**_By: Chigiri Sasaki _

Summary: He was a prodigy, with a damaged past and no future. She was a commoner, with a hidden secret. Strung together by fate, it was only a matter of time before she changed his life forever. [AU, NejiTen]

**Chapter Twenty**

Tenten sneezed.

She wiped her face with her wet sleeve, and sighed when the rain blurred her vision again. It felt like days had passed since they had fallen off that cliff. There was no indication to tell how long they had been there. The sky was still dark as ever and the rain was still pouring at a constant rate. She was completely drenched and sneezed every time a chilly breeze hit her. Right now, she was so muddy and wet she couldn't remember how being dry felt like.

She glanced over at Neji, who sat calmly beside her. He didn't seem to be affected by the rain at all; he didn't even make a sound or show the slightest sign that he was cold. He actually looked like he was marble or something—the little droplets of rain hit his forehead and simply slid down the sharp bridge of his nose and the planes of his face. She watched as one particular droplet dripped from his chin to his neck, down his chest—she suddenly blushed. His wet (not to mention transparent) clothing clung onto his body. It revealed his chiselled, muscular body, somehow accentuating each sculpted muscle. She quickly looked away.

"So," she said after a while. "Are we just going to wait?"

"Yes."

"There's no exit?"

"Correction. There's no _simple_ exit. It's hard to see anything in this kind of weather."

"I thought you had the Byakuugan."

Neji made a noise that sounded something like a scoff. "Byakuugan won't help much at the moment. There is a simple way to get out of here, obviously; we could climb up. However, that is clearly impossible at the moment."

"And it's a long way up," Tenten added. "If we slip halfway…"

"Exactly. We could technically find an alternate exit if we followed the river, but we're already lost enough as it is. I don't want to travel any farther. And from what I could see, the river widens later on and becomes a waterfall." He gestured towards the river and frowned. "See that? The rush of the river is way too fast right now. If we start walking now, then eventually there would be no more land to stand on. We can't possibly swim, even if it is our last resort. Not only would we lose sense of direction, but it would also be a hard struggle to not get carried away."

"So basically we're stuck."

"Yes."

"Yes, but there other possibilities, right? Like… Lee could find us."

"What are the chances of that? He's still waiting for the storm to clear up. And I doubt anyone else is out here—no one in their right mind would leave their home at a time like this."

"You did."

"I have the Byakuugan," Neji replied coolly.

"But you just said that you can't see—" Tenten sighed and gave up; she didn't have the energy to argue. "Great. Why did it have to rain? I mean, it's winter. Why couldn't it snow instead? At least we could do something with snow."

Neji raised an eyebrow.

"We could have a snowball fight, or even make a snowman." When she saw his expression, she added, "well, at least it's better than getting soaked like this!"

"It hardly ever snows in Konoha," Neji stated matter-of-factly. "And even if it does, it'll probably melt by the next day or so. You would never have enough snow to make a snowman, let alone have a snowball fight. And be grateful. If it was snowing you would be a lot colder than you are now."

"What are you talking about? I'm not co—" She let out another sneeze.

Neji's ivory eyes were unfathomable. "You should be in someplace warm."

Tenten smiled slightly. "Obviously. I'm okay though. It's really not that cold, and it's not like I'm going to get hypothermia." She felt another sneeze coming up, but she quickly stifled it by squeezing her nose. She smiled sheepishly when she caught Neji staring sceptically at her. "What? Okay, so fine, I'm cold. My fingers are freezing. But it's not like I can do anything about it. No one's coming for us and the storm's not going to clear up. And besides, I'm not going get sick by being in the rain."

"By being cold and wet, your immune system is weaker," Neji stated. "You don't know what we're susceptible to, especially with the ongoing epidemic."

"Yeah, well, we can't always live in that kind of fear."

"It never hurts to be cautious."

"Yes, of course. But at the same time, you can't always live in fear. You're always at risk, no matter where you are or what you're doing." Tenten smiled slightly. "Isn't that what being a ninja is all about? Knowing that you can die anytime—"

"But you risk your life anyway because it's your duty," Neji finished. "You risk your life because you have to."

"No, that's not what I was going to say. You risk your life because you want to. It's your choice to serve your own country and protect the people in it."

"Not everybody has a choice," Neji said quietly.

"Well, of course everybody does. We're all given freedom from the very beginning. Everybody has the right to choose whether they want to enrol in a regular school or the ninja academy. Every child that attends the ninja academy must want to grow up to be a great—"

"I wasn't talking about being a ninja."

Tenten blinked in surprise when she opened her mouth and had nothing to say. How exactly was she supposed to respond to that?

"We all like to think that we're free, that we have complete control over our lives. It's empowering to us humans." His ivory eyes were so lifeless, yet she could see underlying hints of sadness. Why were his eyes so sad?

Tenten chose her words carefully. "What's wrong with believing in that if it makes us happier?"

"Because," Neji replied flatly. "You'd eventually discover the truth."

"And… is the truth good or bad?"

"Sometimes both."

Tenten's brows furrowed in confusion. Why were his answers always so ambiguous and vague?

"Sometimes you'd convince yourself and dwell in absolute hatred before you realise you just wasted your time."

"I… don't understand what you're saying."

Neji suddenly averted his gaze. "Never mind. We should go. The rain is starting clear up. Let's get you to someplace warm."

"Neji, I—"

"Tenten! Neji!"

The owners of the voices had shouted their names altogether, yet because they were so far away, their calls sounded like mere echoes. Tenten craned her neck in relief to see three familiar faces. Naruto, Hinata, Sasuke and Lee stood by the edge of the cliff. Lee had one arm around a large tree, while his other arm was looped around Sasuke's. Sasuke was the cleanest amongst them and held Hinata's hand. Hinata, who had her Byakuugan activated, gripped tightly onto Naruto, who seemed to enjoy being covered in mud.

"Lee! Naruto! Hinata! Sasuke!" Tenten cheered happily, even though she knew her voice was drowned by the rain. She turned to Neji with the biggest grin. "They found us!"

" I do wonder what they're planning to do."

They suddenly both heard a distant shout that undoubtedly came from Naruto. Before they could figure out what he had yelled, a large cloud of smoke took over their visions, and by the time they opened their eyes again, they saw a large, red, bumpy frog that shook the grounds. They could only stare as Lee let go of the tree, and the four ninjas slid right off the cliff to land on the frog's back. The frog boss, also known as Gamabunta, croaked once, and then stuck out its front leg. "Get on, kids."

Tenten, who was tired and weak, had a bit of trouble jumping onto the frog's palm. Neji, who got slightly impatient, simply carried her with one arm and supported both of their weights with an extra boost of chakra.

"Tenten-chan, Neji-kun," Lee said the instant he caught sight of them. "Are you two alright? Did you end up getting the herb? How did you get all the way down there? Did someone fall? Someone, answer my questions!"

Tenten laughed breathlessly. "Well, yes, Neji did find the herb. And I was the one who fell—Neji found me and saved my life."

"Good thing Neji didn't let you die," Naruto added laughingly, patting Neji good-heartedly on the back. "Neji was actually useful, this time. A fall like that would ended your life."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "You should stop talking, you idiot."

Naruto scoffed. "Oh yeah, Sasuke-teme? If I was such an idiot, then why would I bring… these?" Naruto reached into his backpack and fished out five ponchos.

"Oh, good job. You're supposed to wear it before you go out in the rain."

Before Naruto could retort, Tenten grabbed them and wore all five of them, layering them over her freezing body. "I wouldn't mind wearing them. Thanks, Naruto. And thanks for saving us, with…" She gestured towards the large toad awkwardly.

Naruto grinned. "Sure thing! Gamabunta-san is happy to help out. And see that, Sasuke? At least someone's grateful."

Gamabunta let out a noise that sounded like a loud burp. "I'm not exactly grateful to be in this situation, kid."

Hinata was the last one to say something. When she approached the two, her ivory eyes were close to tears. "Forgive me, Tenten, Neji-nii-san! I-I'm so sorry I couldn't find you two earlier—it was the rain, and the thunder, and my range isn't great enough to cover the entire forest—"

Tenten immediately gave the distraught girl a tight hug. "It's alright, Hinata, it's not like we broke a leg or anything. And plus, Neji saved me." It took a second for her to link Hinata's words to hers. Something didn't make sense; how was Neji able to find her, if Hinata said that her range wasn't wide enough?

It was like Lee read her mind. "Neji-kun, is your range that much greater than Hinata-chan's? How were you able to find Tenten-chan in such short notice?"

"I wondered that t-too," Hinata added thoughtfully. "I doubt even my father can s-search the entire forest with his Byakuugan. It surrounds almost all of the Fire country."

They all turned to cast Neji a questioning look, but the Hyuuga prodigy simply shrugged.

"It's not that hard to guess," Sasuke finally said, the corners of his lips twitching. "He probably stayed very close to Tenten so that he could keep an eye on her."

Hinata giggled. "T-that makes a lot more sense."

There was a great rumble beneath their feet, and all ninjas instinctively held onto Gamabunta's blue jacket. "Are you kids done yet?" Without waiting for an answer, the frog boss leaped from his strong hind legs and they were instantly out of the valley. They soared into the sky, and Tenten had never felt anything faster—all the raindrops pelted on her face, and she could barely see with all the air rushing into her eyes. Her fingers felt absolutely numb; she had never held onto something so tightly in her life. She could only imagine how hard the fall would be if she lost her grip. But then again, if Neji was there to save her again…

She turned to her side when she heard Naruto yell joyously. The blond was actually holding on with one hand, and with the other, he was swinging his Konoha headband wildly. It was like he had been doing this all his life.

Tenten turned to Hinata and mouthed, "he's crazy."

Hinata smiled softly.

* * *

Yamamoto Leiko sat quietly in her room, head leaned back against her great oak chair. Mornings spent at the Hyuuga manor were always peaceful. It was currently in the middle of winter, but she thought she would catch a whiff of spring if she closed her eyes and wished hard enough. She sighed. She was really beginning to get homesick—the only piece of home she had with her was her oak chair. The Hyuugas had kindly sent someone to the Rice country to fetch for her.

It was probably her favourite and most valued possession. It was passed down for generations. It first came into the family when her great-grandfather had gotten it custom made by a famous carpenter. She loved sitting in it; for some reason, she felt like she could always feel the ancient wisdom that belonged to its past owners. It always made her feel better. She didn't know where else she could get such inspiration or motivation.

Today, she was sitting in this chair because she was unsure of herself. She didn't know why she was here. At first, it seemed alright, since Neji was a handsome and polite guy, and the Hyuuga manor was even bigger than hers, and she was respecting her father's wishes. But lately, everything seemed to have changed. Firstly, she had never wanted to be here in the first place. And secondly, it wasn't like she had a good chance of winning Neji's heart; somehow, she knew that it would never be hers.

Just now, she was going over to Neji's room to talk, but she instantly stopped when she heard Tenten's voice. It was like Tenten beat her to it every time.

They were bickering, unsurprisingly. From what she heard, Tenten was trying to convince Neji that she should help him train for the tournament. And Tenten was winning the argument, too. It was such a simple matter but they just had to fight over that. However, despite the argument, she could tell that Tenten would always understand Neji on a different level. What was the point of her trying?

She could take yesterday, as an example. Most of the residents at the Hyuuga manor volunteered or were ordered to help out at the hospital. Leiko's shift ended late since it was raining, and she decided to stay at the hospital until the skies cleared up. It stopped raining around midnight.

It was almost pitch black when she exited the building. She remembered feeling cautious about the slightest sounds; she jumped when a bird swooped by. Suddenly, in the distance, she felt a large tremble and thought it was an earthquake. But it was only a large, humongous toad, carrying rather familiar people.

Neji and the rest of the ninjas slid off the toad quickly. Neji only acknowledged her with a nod when they all ran past. Leiko in return followed them back in, and stuck around for another while. She found out that Tenten had nearly lost her fingers; they were severely numb from being in the cold weather, and were coloured in an unhealthy pasty white.

Leiko was concerned; they all were. Yet, it almost seemed like Neji was the most responsible for it. Leiko didn't miss the way he kept his hands cupped around Tenten's, only letting go when the doctor instructed him to do so. Leiko also didn't miss the fact that late at night, after the doctor confirmed that everything would be fine, Neji watched Tenten sleeping for a full ten minutes.

Sighing, Leiko turned to her desk, grabbed her journal, and flipped to a fresh page.

_Today, Tenten beat me again. I can't help but think that she's way better for him. Why do I have to be here? It's starting to get tough… I never knew that I would have _competition_. I almost wish that she was horrible and mean and everything, so I could justify disliking her. But she's so nice, I really can't help but like her, whether she's supposedly 'stealing my future husband' or not. I have to either try harder, or somehow convince my father that Neji isn't the right guy for me._

_I wish I could talk to Izanami now. _

* * *

"Hinata, Hinata, Hinata!" Tenten grinned cheerfully and she walked gracefully into the kitchen. She couldn't help but continue grinning as she inhaled the delicious aroma of freshly baked bread that contained a hint of cinnamon. She stood beside the Hyuuga heiress, grabbing a piece of bread and slathering it with whatever Hinata was dressing hers with.

"You're in a good mood today," Hinata replied with an equally cheerful smile. "How are your fingers?"

"Good as new!" Tenten balled her hands into a fist, and nodded in satisfaction. "It's such a relief knowing that my fingers are fine—I don't know what I would do if I didn't have them. Ah, the stupid rain. If it didn't rain, I wouldn't have been half as cold."

"Of course. It was a lot colder because you were c-completely wet, and then Gamabunta went flying, really adding the extra chill."

"No kidding. You're so lucky you weren't affected at all. I guess I'm just less durable than all of you guys."

"That's n-not true. We all came much later, and the rain wasn't as bad."

"Maybe, but, Neji was with me the entire time. I didn't see him shivering."

"I've never seen Neji shiver in my life," Hinata replied seriously.

Tenten raised her eyebrows. "Seriously? Wow. That takes some real tolerance."

"It really does. He trains in the same outfit, all year long. Whatever he wears in the summer, he would wear in the winter. I-it's almost like training with him—he's really all about mind over matter, and pushing the body beyond its limits. He would m-maybe throw on a jacket if enough people chided him."

"That's crazy," Tenten replied, "and you would think that he has weaknesses. That guy is practically invincible!"

Hinata's smile faltered. "Oh, I wouldn't e-exactly say that."

There was only silence then, as they both had nothing to say and no one else was in the small room. This was one of the many extra kitchens, built for the people who wanted to make something simple without going all the way to the main kitchen. Everyone else was eating their breakfast in the main dining room. She wasn't too fond of eating there. Even though most of the Hyuugas have accepted her, she still went out of her way to avoid the mean, cold Elders. They were all too silent for her liking anyway; she found it way too awkward to have so many quiet people in the same room. Sometimes she wished they weren't so controlled and orderly.

"So," Tenten said eventually, "are you planning to go to the festival? It's in a few weeks."

Hinata nodded fervently, seeming relieved that there was no more tension. "There has been so much advertising lately—I think it's an attempt to make things seem better."

"Well, there's always hope, isn't there? There's still lots of time until then, so I guess everyone has something to look forward to in the future."

"Of course. And, it'll give all the girls an ample amount of time to get ready."

"You make us all seem like girly girls."

"Aren't we all o-on the inside?"

Tenten chuckled. "That's true."

"So a-are you planning to go with someone?"

"Sure, with Sakura and Ino and the rest of the guys." Tenten's eyes twinkled. "It's too bad that I can't go with you."

Hinata blinked. "Why? I'd l-love to go…"

"Oh Hinata," Tenten said in a sly voice. "I'm sure you're planning to ask someone."

Hinata shook her head fervently. A slight tinge of pink surfaced on her cheeks. Normally it wouldn't be visible to the naked eye, but considering the paleness of her skin, the flush seemed quite apparent. "I… I don't k-know."

"What do you mean, 'you don't know'?"

"I-It's j-just that…"

"Oh my gosh, he didn't break your heart, did he?"

"Of course Naruto didn't," Hinata replied instantly.

"So you _are_ planning to ask Naruto."

"What? I—oh." Hinata sighed softly, and hung her head. She somewhat reluctantly looked back at Tenten, almost as if she was ashamed to admit her admiration towards the boy. "My family won't approve, of course. I d-don't want to give in, either. Naruto-kun's too important to me. But, at the same time, I don't want to risk too much. What if I give up everything? Would it be worth it? What if Naruto-kun doesn't care for me like the way I do for him? What if… what if he's just toying with me?"

"That doesn't sound like Naruto, and you know it." Tenten smiled reassuringly. "I don't know much, but Naruto seems like a really good guy. You're really lucky, Hinata."

The Hyuuga heiress smiled softly. "Thank you."

"And you know, sometimes you just have to jump and risk everything. You see that in all the movies—and hey, don't they all have happy endings?" Tenten chuckled. "And I don't believe for a second that you're not willing to jump that leap of faith. I mean, you're crazy about him—I haven't known either of you two for a long time, but I can tell already. Just describe him for me."

Hinata stared down at her fingers, twiddling her thumbs. "Well, I d-don't know. What do you want me to say?"

"Whatever you want. What's it like, being with him?"

"I don't know how to describe him."

"If you don't know, then why do you meet up with him every morning?"

"Because… because I feel like I h-have to. Being with him… being w-with him feels amazing—beyond this world. It feels like… it feels like there's no one around us, and we have everything to ourselves. He m-makes…" The rest came faster, stronger, and with each word she sounded more confident. "He makes me feel so at e-ease, so special—like there's nothing wrong with whatever I believe in because it's who I am. He's never afraid to be himself in front of me. He's the easiest person to talk to, because he's actually a great listener. He's a lot more intelligent than everyone thinks he is. At first, he may seem like the silliest, most immature and carefree creature in the world—and he is. Yet at the same time, he suffers a lot more than he lets on. But he's still pure. He has faith in everyone… there's not one speck of darkness in his heart. He's always willing to help people. He's determined, he's kind, he's hardworking… He's everything that I want to be. I have my issues. But when I'm with him, I forget all my flaws… it feels like… it feels like there's nothing else in the world that matters."

A moment of silence passed, and then Tenten finally breathed out and whistled. "And you're really doubting Naruto? Something doesn't seem to fit."

"I'm not doubting Naruto," Hinata said softly. "Perhaps I'm too afraid… whether I'm afraid of my family's reaction, of my father's approval, of getting hurt, I don't know."

"It's worth it."

"I know, I k-know. I can't bear losing our friendship, our closeness. He's just—"

"Disapproved of," a cold voice interposed. Both Hinata and Tenten jumped slightly from the sudden interruption. The presence had appeared without them noticing, and seemed to have eavesdropped for the most part of their conversation. "You shouldn't be viewing this boy like this," it continued, "as you are completely out of his league. A low-class person such as himself should know that."

Neji was standing by the doorway, his strong frame leaning against the wood, his arms crossed in a formal way that clearly expressed his current expression. His lips were set into a firm line.

Hinata instantly bowed with her hands clasped together in respect for her older cousin. "G-good a-afternoon, Neji-nii-san."

Tenten simply nodded in acknowledgement. "Hey."

Neji raised an eyebrow at her casualness. "I thought you said we would meet outside. It's been twenty minutes."

"Oh! I totally forgot. I'm sorry, Neji—I'll come now."

Neji simply swerved around to exit. Tenten quickly swallowed her breakfast, waved Hinata goodbye and followed Neji into the training grounds. It felt like they had done this for the longest time; Tenten couldn't help but reminisce the first time she had challenged him to a duel. She had won—and it was a well deserved victory, even though Neji was out of chakra by then. She quickly fell into a new stance she had seen somewhere, and smiled when it felt comfortable enough. She quickly lunged forward, and attacked Neji with moves she couldn't even recognise. It almost felt like she had done this before.

"Have you been training?" Neji asked suddenly, as he swiftly blocked her fancy sequence of punching and kicking. He ducked and quickly lunged to strike her lower half.

"I remember these moves," Tenten replied when an instant, split-second flashback hit her. "I… remember this. I've done these when I was younger."

"Oh?"

"Yeah…" Tenten immediately felt an adrenaline rush—the urge to strike harder, to strike faster. She suddenly saw an opening—she quickly latched onto his shoulder blade and spun around him, dodging Neji's punch to her stomach. He seemed to be rather befuddled by the body contact, but quickly came back to his senses and ducked to sweep her off her feet. Tenten instantly used this opportunity to push onto his shoulders and launched herself into the air. She landed gracefully, followed by various flips.

There were a few claps in the background. Both of the teens spun around to look.

Neji instantly scowled. "Hiro-sama."

"Neji," Hiro acknowledged politely, but his attention was focused on Tenten. "Hello, Tenten."

"Hi."

"My, you're quite good. No wonder Neji wants to train with you for the competition… looks like he has a secret weapon now."

A hint of pink surfaced Tenten's cheeks. "It's nothing, really."

"I wouldn't say that—I've been watching you for a little while, and I must say that I'm impressed."

Neji suddenly stepped in front of Tenten, shielding the brunette from Hiro. "Why are you here? Where is this praise coming from?"

Before Tenten could say anything, Hiro firmly pushed Neji aside. "What, I can't have a conversation?"

"It's not much of a conversation if you don't have anything meaningful to say."

"Well actually, I came here to say that Hiashi-sama wishes to see you."

There was a moment of silence. For a good minute or so, Neji was blatantly glaring at Hiro and Hiro was gazing back, equally as coolly. Tenten was the only one who stood between them, glancing between the equally intimidating Hyuugas. Finally, Neji spun around, heading back to the Hyuuga manor. The disdained expression on Hiro's face immediately disappeared when he smiled at Tenten. "I thought he would never leave."

Tenten mustered an awkward smile. "Yeah, I guess."

"So how are you? I haven't gotten the chance to talk to you in a while."

"I'm good, thanks. You?"

Hiro chuckled at the polite answer. "Now, is it really necessary to be formal around me? You seem comfortable enough with other people."

Tenten shrugged shyly. "I act differently?"

"Sure."

"Who do I look comfortable with, then?"

"Neji."

Tenten blinked in surprise. "Neji? No, I'm pretty—"

Hiro interposed quickly before she could mindlessly babble in an attempt to justify her denial. "So you're probably wondering why I really came here."

"To tell Neji…?"

"No." Hiro shook his head and grinned dashingly as he leaned in, sending shivers down Tenten's spine. "I actually wanted to talk to you—alone."

"Sure," she replied in an odd tone—she had no clue as to where this conversation was going. "You have my attention now."

"Good. So I was just wondering"—he flashed her a dazzling smile—"if you wanted to go to the dance with me."

"Dance…? Oh—_oh_. You mean the festival. Um…" Tenten shuffled her feet, glancing at anywhere but the handsome Hyuuga that stood before her. Somehow, she felt uneasy; she was unsure as to why she felt awkward and uncomfortable in her current predicament. Hyuuga Hiro was probably one of the few guys that a million girls would kill to date. He was everything that a perfect date would be depicted as—he was handsome, tall, strong, smart, rich, and confident. He was a smooth talker. He knew how to treat a girl properly. On the other hand, she was just a plain girl. She was no prettier than any other village girl. But here she was, being asked out by a guy that literally defined the word 'perfection'. So why was she hesitating? What was wrong with her?

Quickly, before she could regret her decision, she blurted out, "yes."

"Excellent. And just in time, too—here comes Neji, and he looks grumpy." Hiro stood up to greet the rather annoyed prodigy. "Neji."

Neji narrowed his pearly white eyes. "What did you do? Hiashi-sama never called for me."

"I didn't do anything. Don't jump to conclusions so quickly," Hiro replied easily. "Just wanted to talk to Tenten alone. It's hard to do so when you're always around her."

Neji resisted the urge to ball his fists; he wanted nothing more than to wipe off Hiro's smug smirk. "She's the one following me all the time," the prodigy replied stiffly. "And what did you say to her?"

"There's a reason why I wanted you gone. You're not supposed to know."

"You better not have asked her—"

"I didn't."

"Does your w—"

"Since when do you care about anything, Hyuuga Neji?" Hiro's tone was so oddly curious it sounded patronizing. "I'm curious. Am I bothering you now because it is Tenten that I'm talking to?"

When Neji had nothing to say, Hiro only chuckled. It was so effortless and easy to render the boy silent. They both knew who was impotent and where they each ranked in the family. Finally, the taller boy patted Neji's back, bid Tenten farewell, and then left the training grounds without another word.

* * *

After a few hours of vigorous, silent, uninterrupted training, Tenten sauntered back into her room, breathing heavily. Technically, she would be still training right now with Neji if it weren't for her appointment with Akio Takashi. Akio was the name of the world's richest artist that also did photography. He approached her a little while ago, and asked her if she was interested in modelling for some of his projects. Tenten only agreed because Sakura, who Akio had also approached, took up on his offer. They decided that they were both going to feature in his next project.

Tenten quickly took a shower, changed into her usual attire, and pulled her hair into a loose ponytail. She left her face completely bare. She didn't know what to expect – it wasn't like she was a professional model who knew what one should look like when arriving onto set.

She grabbed a bottle of water, dug out the piece of paper containing the address from her drawer and left her room. She nearly dropped everything when she saw Neji standing by her door. "Neji," she greeted breathlessly in surprise. "What are you doing? I thought you were—"

"Where are you going?"

Tenten knew she would sound stupid if she said she was going to model for Akio Takahashi. After all, didn't she tell him that she aspired to be like Tsunade? Quickly hiding the address, she replied lightly, "I'm just going to meet up with someone, that's all."

"Is it Hiro?"

Tenten blinked. What was up with him and Hiro? "No, Neji, I'm not meeting up with Hiro. I'm actually going to see Sakura." That technically was the truth.

"Fine," Neji said simply, and swerved around to leave.

"See you later, then?" Ignoring his strange attitude, Tenten went back to her room to wait for a little while. She didn't want to follow him on their way out—it would simply be too awkward.

By the time she arrived at the set, it was late in the afternoon. She had no idea as to how late she was, since she had been running the entire time and it was like she had never taken a shower. She needed the help of two different people to find the isolated building—it was in a rather deserted part of Konoha, where most of the residents were old and had no need to be close to the busy town. She was extremely surprised when she entered the seemingly ratty and dark place.

It was all white and bright once she was let in. It was like the outside was simply a disguise, so that no one but the elderly knew where Akio Takahashi worked.

"Ah! Tenten!" Akio, looking rather sharp in a black blazer and turtleneck, gave her a light hug and gestured her to follow him down the wide hallway. "It's a good thing you're early. I didn't know that you two would show up an hour before."

Tenten raised her eyebrows. "An hour, really?"

"Yes, it's only four o'clock now. I suppose four o'clock is fine too, since there's no harm in having more time for preparation."

"When are we going to take the shots?"

"At six, my dear. The sunlight at six is softer, not as harsh and much more natural."

"Right." As they continued their way down the hallway, Tenten passed by many impressive paintings and various light pencil sketches that were framed. "Are these all yours?"

"Yes, but they're simply for my own eyes to see. They're not suitable to be sold to the public."

"But you have so many fans; I'm sure everything will be sold."

Akio chuckled. "These are far from being presentable—they're merely inspirations or drafts of my next big project. And don't you know? The more rare your works are, the more they're worth. I don't want everyone having something that Akio Takahashi created."

"I thought paintings only become valuable after the artist dies."

"Well, I'm still alive and I am rich, aren't I?" Akio grinned and opened a door to their left. A light, floral scent immediately flooded their senses, and Tenten was greeted to rows and rows of lit-up mirrors, accompanied by fancy chairs and various tools. All the stations were empty at the moment, except for one—a familiar pink-haired girl occupied it. "Here's Sakura, getting her hair done. Sit in the chair next to hers, and wait for my beauty consultants to work on your hair too." He approached Sakura's chair and gazed at her through the mirror. "Sakura, ah, the beautiful Sakura-san. I love your hair—I don't think we need to do any work on it. I think it's ready."

Sakura grimaced. "I just came back from the hospital. I was working the entire time."

Akio nodded in approval. "Yes, and that is exactly why it's perfect for the theme. Now, onto makeup!" He gestured towards Sakura's face as he instructed the makeup artist. "Is her face washed?"

Nakuru, the redheaded makeup artist, nodded and waved her hand airily. "Exfoliated, cleansed, moisturised. Since when do I not properly prep our models' faces?"

"Good. That's the reason why you're still here. Well, I don't want much on her. Just maybe conceal those under eye circles, and dust some bronzer as blush—start from the temples, and—yeah, that's it—I want a bit of contouring too. Everything must be matte, except for maybe a bit of shimmer as highlight on her cheekbones. That natural, glowing look—well, you know what kind of image I want, Nakuru."

Nakuru laughed and began dipping a fluffy brush into a shimmery powder. "I've got everything under control."

"Good, good. Now… onto Tenten." He walked towards Tenten and spun her chair around so that she was facing him. Akio inspected her face. "I think… I think that Tenten should not wear makeup at all! Her look is perfect. Her skin is perfect—not a pimple or blackhead in sight. Great structure—I love the cheekbones. Just remove some of the excess oils—there seems to be a bit of sweat—girl, have you been running?"

Tenten smiled sheepishly. "I got here as fast as I could."

"You were an hour early." Akio clicked his tongue in disapproval when he lifted a lock of her hair. "My… such… such clean hair."

"I took a shower and washed my hair today."

"That's the wrong look though," Akio noted, more to himself than to her, and he observed the ends of her ponytail. "And your hair is so horrendously cut. There's no style whatsoever… and there are quite a few split ends—when was the last time you trimmed your hair?"

"Uh… I actually don't remember."

"That's horrible," Rika commented and she lifted tufts of her thick, wavy brown hair. "It's like she cut her hair herself. Tell me, Tenten, do you ever leave your hair down?"

"No, not really." Tenten shrugged. "I usually just tie it up."

Rika nodded understandingly. "No wonder no one ever told her she needed a haircut."

Tenten frowned—she had never thought her hair was that bad. She was hardly ever commented on her appearance, so she had no idea that her hair was that supposedly horrendous. But then again, she never knew her bone structure was great, either.

"Don't worry, Tenten," Rika said kindly. "We can always do something about your hair. So what shall we do, Akio-san?"

Akio put a finger to his chin thoughtfully. "Well, her hair is so… old-fashioned, uncared for. It's supposed to look modern, with texture, and colour and shine." He continued to grab a lock of her hair. "Well, we can start by messing up her hair, Rika. Trim the ends, especially. Give her lots of layers. Tease the crown slightly, pull the bangs away from her face, smooth the ends. Should we consider highlights? Her hair is so plain—no, that won't look completely natural. I want that distressed, choppy yet chic and natural look." After a moment, he seemed satisfied enough with the progress and decided to leave. "I shall go prepare… see you two in a little while."

"He's really… commanding," Sakura said after he left. She laughed. "How do you guys manage to understand everything?"

Rika chuckled. "We're professionals, dear. We're hired to follow all the commands of any demanding photographer. And, you look absolutely gorgeous, Sakura. You should definitely consider being a model."

"True," Tenten added with a smile, "but she's too busy helping people and being a ninja. Speaking of which, how are things?"

"The usual… the patients have almost stopped coming in, but there are still a lot of people to treat. It's really hectic."

"Did Tsunade-sama find a cure?"

"She's working on it. I personally think she's restarting every week."

Tenten didn't know what to say next, so she kept quiet. Finally, she asked, "Amaya?"

"Amaya's… doing alright."

A frown marred the straight line of Tenten's lips. "Sakura…"

"She's going to leave, Tenten. She doesn't only have this bug crawling in her brain. When she first came in a few weeks ago, we all thought that she just had brain tumours—but it turned out that they were the beginnings of this epidemic. However, now that the virus has stabilized in her body, we discovered that she really does have brain tumours. They're at the final stage—there is honestly no hope, Tenten. She's going to die."

"No, no—no, there has to be some way," Tenten insisted. "She's so young—why can't she go through surgery? Can't you remove the tumours?"

"We don't have the time, or the money. We spent way too much money finding a cure for this new disease, and Konoha isn't earning much money at the moment. Tsunade-sama's not accepting any missions."

"Why can't the Tanaka's pay for it? They're rich, aren't they? And don't they have a bunch of herbs? They should have some kind of rare herb or something that you can use!"

"Maybe, maybe not. Again, they receive all their stocks from sources outside the Fire country, but we severed all connections. We cut all our resources, because we're vulnerable right now and any country that is targeting us could easily sneak in another virus. So right now we're basically living on anything we could find here. But even if we did have the money and resources, we can't perform anything on Amaya. She's too weak. She also lost a lot of blood from the coughing fits."

"No blood transfusions?"

"We're constantly giving her them, but her body is still fragile and she has an abnormally weak immune system. She's still only a child. Tsunade-sama thinks she won't make it if she undergoes surgery."

"Well, shouldn't you try? If she's going to die either way, then you should at least try to save her! If she undergoes surgery, at least she'll have a chance of surviving!"

"Exactly," Sakura said grimly. "We know she's going die either way—that's why we want to her live the rest of her life normally."

"What normal life?" Tenten burst out. "She's cooped up in a hospital and is coughing up _blood _everyday!"

"Surgery will cut her life short, and preparation for such a serious surgery will take time," Sakura replied, her voice rising as well. "We're only going to waste money and time by performing surgery on her. She might as well live the rest of her life like this, with people visiting her and looking out the window all day long. She's going to be drugged before she dies—at least she'll die in peace. It's way better than slicing her open and then watching the life in her eyes pass out!"

Tenten stopped immediately; she suddenly saw Sakura's lifeless and tired eyes and instantly felt guilty for shouting at her like that. Of course she was working as hard as she could—everyone in the hospital was—and obviously they were trying their best to save every patient.

"I'm sorry, for shouting at you like that," Tenten said quietly. "I know you're trying your best, and I can see that you're really tired. It's just that… it's just that it isn't fair."

Sakura gave one, short laugh. "Is life ever fair?"

Starting from there, the girls began catching up on much more positive things, such as what they were planning to wear to the festival, or how some of the contestants decided to drop out of the tournament. Sakura even inquired Tenten about Hinata's secret affair with Naruto. Tenten wondered how Sakura could've known, but the pink-haired girl quickly explained how the chemistry had always been there, and that there was really no point in hoping that Hinata would like someone else.

They were all livened up and much more cheerful by the time everything was prepared and they were led to the set. The photo shoot, they found out, was taking place in a park. There was no one else around, and there were no swings or seesaws or anything of that sort. There was nothing but grass in a vast area, and large trees that provided shade for the rest of the crew.

Akio was wearing as simple, grey V-neck t-shirt with a pair of dark jeans. He was testing the lighting, walking around and picturing how some poses could work. He finally turned to the girls. "Well, hello ladies," he said, nodding professionally. "Are you two ready?"

Sakura nodded slightly. "Although, I can't say that I will be good…"

"I haven't had any experience," Tenten added. "I don't even read fashion magazines."

Akio waved his hand airily. "Never say that! I like the models with little to no experience. The ones that are professional… they seem to do well, but eventually the poses become redundant, and the intensity in the eyes and whatever gets boring. Newer models usually bring something fresh to the table, and I see that freshness in the both of you. It's actually better that you don't read those magazines, Tenten—it only means that you're under no influence. Don't try to look like someone else—just relax and let your mind disconnect from your body. Find your own, effortless look. Don't over think it. Is this understood?"

Tenten and Sakura nodded.

"Good. So today, we're actually going to shoot a cover for a book. I won't tell you what it's called, since it hasn't come out yet and I can't let it leak. However, I will tell you that it has to do with best friends, and both of them have to deal with addictions. Yes, a cliché idea, but there are some extra interesting twists. The character you're going to portray, Sakura, is addicted to drugs. Tenten's character is addicted to someone who is no good for her. Both of you, however, have to deal with the death of a loved one, whether it be a family member, or a lover, or a friend."

Sakura's brows furrowed. "Are we supposed to portray that into the cover?"

"Yes and no. To me, one of the basic appeals of these characters is that they look nothing like drug addicts or suffering teenagers. They're described as carefree, beautiful, innocent-looking girls, and no one ever suspects them of being that pained. It's partially the irony, partially the dark, hidden pain, partially the unbreakable bond between the girls that makes it such a beautiful story. So what I want you to do is simply give me a picture that depicts pure freedom and happiness. I want light-hearted smiles and laughs, but, there has to be a hint of darkness. That is why I chose this lighting—the sun's still up, but the sky's dark on one side and there are shadows cast."

Tenten and Sakura were then ordered to stand in the middle of the field, and simply pose. Neither of them knew what they were doing, and the fact that a crew of twenty people were watching them made the two even more awkward. For the first hour, both of them couldn't feel comfortable at all, and it was evident in the shots.

"You two have to relax," Akio said. "There's too much tension in the shoulders, and don't try to posture so much."

Sakura nodded. "Should I move it to this angle?"

"No angles. Just fall on the ground, as you normally would after a long, tiring battle."

"I thought you said we had to look carefree."

"Yes, so pretend that you're just resting after a long game of tag or something." He pointed the camera towards them. "Tenten, move to the side, stare into the distance, and think about your dying loved one. Sakura, look towards the camera. Bring some sad intensity in your eyes, but you have to relax your lips—no, don't let them droop. You have to control them… Perfect. No, don't care about the wind—Tenten, you can try falling into it. You're happy; you're the definition of purity and innocence. Well, appearance wise anyways."

Tenten tried her best to follow his instructions. She tried to have that dazed look, where she would be staring out into the distance, as if she was waiting for someone to come rescue her. She was wearing a shapeless white garment, with just a black ribbon that wrapped around her waist. She tried to enhance the shape of her body; the wind was blowing from behind, so she tried to accentuate the curves of her back while trying to give a natural, effortless smile. She stayed close to Sakura, who was on her knees, facing towards the camera, and had a similar ribbon tied around her neck.

"Your eyes are blank, Tenten," Akio stated. "Your face is getting lost in your hair. Don't turn too much to the side."

Tenten tried to do as she was told, but somehow her eyes wouldn't portray the right emotion. She had no idea as to how to appear happy and delicate, yet sad at the same time.

"Pretend you knew a sad secret," Akio suggested, walking around them. "As if you had cancer but you didn't want to worry anyone."

"Or," Sakura murmured beside her, "as if you knew that someone was going to die from an epidemic."

Tenten immediately thought of Amaya—the innocent little girl was going to die, yet she was constantly still so happy. She lived in the hospital, but she never let that bother her. She seemed even happier than Tenten, who had lived way longer and still had many more years to come. Why did Amaya have to die? Tenten suddenly recalled her big, bright eyes and uplifting smile.

"_Tenten-nee-chan, I sometimes think of you as my fairy godmother."_

She was so young, yet she still had hope. Which was what this entire shoot was supposed to portray, right? She was supposed to play a character who was constantly suffering on the inside. She would never let anyone else know about her pain; she didn't want to burden anyone. She would smile through her tears; she would laugh, even though she was dying on the inside. Yet, despite the dark secrets, there would always be hope. Was this what Akio wanted to capture? The classic portrayal of how humankind was dark and cruel, but there would always be hope? That one should always fight, because everything would be okay in the end?

Tenten took a deep breath, and finally stepped into Amaya's shoes. _Amaya, you will live, damn it. _

"She finally got it," Akio suddenly murmured, and the photo was taken.

* * *

That night, Tenten returned to the Hyuuga manor to see that Neji was missing from his room. She found him back in the training grounds once more, and like a few days ago, he was working on his aim. He was using the same targets, except they were more ragged than ever, since it had been raining. A black shuriken was shot, but it hit another shuriken that was lodged into the wooden board. As a result, the little black piece of metal bounced off and fell onto the ground.

Her eyes softened as she sighed in admiration. She couldn't help but admire his constant persistence, his willpower, his determination—it was like nothing could stop him from doing what he wanted. She could almost see why he had so many female followers; maybe there really was something under that darkly handsome face. He knew what he wanted in life, and every goal was important to him. He stopped at absolutely nothing to achieve his dreams. Sure, he was always cold and reserved, but there were moments where he showed his softer side. He was actually nice and caring—she couldn't help recalling yesterday, when he cupped his warm hands around her cold ones.

And he was also definitely nice to look at. His face was flawless, and he had the muscular body to match. He wasn't overly bulky, or lanky; he was tall with broad shoulders and lean, prominent muscles. His arm muscles flexed every time he shot a weapon—they actually stretched the material of his attire. Of course, he wore a longer, warmer attire that was suitable for the colder weather of Konoha. She wondered if he trained shirtless during the summer.

She snapped out of her thoughts when a kunai clashed against a shuriken. Now that Tenten looked closer—she realised that every inch of the target board was covered, except for the centre. If it weren't for the tiring day, she would've laughed. "You're still having trouble?"

Neji grunted.

"You're not doing it right," Tenten said thoughtfully. "Try stretching your arm completely when you extend it."

"I don't need you to tell me the basics."

"Well, just trying to help. You might know what you're supposed to do, but unconsciously do it incorrectly." When he missed again, Tenten stood up from the ground. She was about to approach him when he held a hand up, telling her to stop. "Neji, try using more of your shoulder and your whole arm. You can't depend on your wrist and expect the shuriken to go a far distance."

"My aim is fine."

"Yes, but is 'fine' good enough to satisfy your standards, Neji? You're training for this hard for a reason."

Neji frowned. "I can hit the targets."

"Yes, but you can do better. Like"—she quickly summoned five weapons, and shot them at five different targets consecutively—"this."

Neji remained silent when all of her weapons hit the centre. Her aim hit the dead centre, even though her fingers were frozen just yesterday. He glanced at her lithe, effortless movements; maybe she did have a thing or two to teach him. He tried to mimic her movements, but that strategy failed when he missed completely. How was it possible that she was able to hit all the targets, but he couldn't? Neji, now more determined than annoyed, began to shoot another shuriken, followed by various kunai, followed by scythes.

"Here," Tenten suddenly said when Neji was ready to shoot another weapon. She touched his fingers lightly, positioning them in a way that would make wrist movement easier. Neji didn't even flinch when her fingers guided his. However, he resumed back to his normal method right before releasing. He seemed to be resolute in his refusal to admit that she was better.

"Neji! No, you shouldn't have moved your fingers again—doesn't your index and ring finger hit each other? When you shoot a needle, you need to launch it with two fingers. It's not the same as shooting a kunai."

Neji didn't respond and began attacking his targets.

"Neji! You're still not doing it right! See—"

Neji would have easily ignored her, as he normally did, but she suddenly went behind him and grabbed both of his arms. At the unexpected physical contact, he felt all his muscles contract. He instantaneously twisted, sending her away, but she was still holding onto his arms and as a result, they both toppled over.

"Get away from me," Neji growled lowly. He wanted to say more—he really did, but he suddenly found himself lost in her seemingly endless brown eyes.

It was hard, keeping his cool demeanour intact. His annoying peer tutor was on the ground and he was on top of her, his entire body pressed against hers. He was reacting quite differently than he had expected. His heart was suddenly pounding and he felt a hot, burning sensation all over his body. It struck a new part of his heart, or brain, or whatever controlled that feeling—that feeling of desire and yearning. What was this? It was impossible that he felt that way. He had spent just about the past few weeks avoiding her and convincing himself that she was up to no good. Neji desperately tried to gather his senses so he could pick himself off Tenten, without any more of his uncharacteristic behaviour or those little chats she was trying to engage him in.

But as he was contemplating this, he suddenly felt something soft touch his cheek. He froze completely as Tenten stroked his cheek, gazing into his ivory eyes with an unreadable expression. He felt his heart stop and couldn't move.

"Neji-kun? Neji-kun? Where are you?"

Leiko's call could be heard throughout the entire garden and training grounds. The fingers that were on Neji's cheek immediately left and he felt Tenten push him off her rather roughly. Finally snapping to his senses as well, he stood up stiffly.

"Sorry, I didn't know what I was thinking," Tenten whispered quickly. Before he could register her words, he saw her disappear into the Hyuuga household. His head was light and swirling. He could hardly think. What had just happened? It felt like he was numb—almost the same numbness he felt when his chakra points were shut off, but not quite. There was something more, something underlying—a strange, strong yearning. Eyes narrowed, he stared at the ground before kicking it savagely.

None of this was supposed to be happening. He promised himself that he would commit to becoming one of the strongest ninjas, even if he died protecting someone of the main family. He trained day and night for that purpose, and was even recognised for his strength and abilities. Yet, what kind of prodigy was he if he couldn't even escape a mere situation like that? He couldn't even stand up. And it was all because of a commoner.

Meanwhile, Tenten was inside the house, storming to her room. Why was she so dishevelled and in such turmoil? He had simply fallen over her, which was something common that happened to ninjas during a battle. What about Neji that made her react so… so much?

She couldn't see or hear anything that was happening around her. Why had she done that? But when he was on top of her, when she felt his body against hers, when she felt his muscles tighten, she couldn't think—she couldn't breathe. All of a sudden, she just had the urge to reach up and touch his flawless face. She wanted to look into his beautiful eyes and get him to accept her. She wanted to know more about his past. She wanted him to open up to her.

Yes, she had a right to know more about him. Getting him to open up was a part of her job as a peer tutor. But there was no excuse as to how her body had reacted—how could she possibly explain why her heart fluttered? It took Leiko's call to break the trance she was in—Leiko, as in Neji's future wife.

Tenten shook her head fervently. She had to clean up her act. She was here to make him a better person. That was it.

"Tenten."

It took her a moment to realise that someone was calling her. She looked up, and smiled sheepishly. "Huh? Oh, hi Hiro."

He chuckled. "In a rush?"

"Sort of."

"Then I must not get in your way," he said understandingly. He turned to his side to make room for her, even though there was plenty of space in the Hyuuga corridor. "Tell me though, Tenten, how was your day?"

She raised an eyebrow at his casualness. "Great," she muttered, walking past him. "Just great."

-

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**A/N:** I'm finally done a chapter, and this time it didn't exceed 10,000 words! Woo for a (kind of) short chapter! Aheh, I love how my story just talks about the most random things. I know, it's going soooo slow, but I honestly think that it's unrealistic for the classic "i-move-in-to-a-new-place" and then "i-meet-everyone" and then "neji, you're-hot-and-bam-we're-in-love" type of thing. Granted that that's a lot more interesting to read, since it's always full of action and chemistry, but life isn't like that. Those stories (like Twilight) are always fun to read, but they're just an idealised version of what we _want_ love to be, not what it actually is.

Well anyway, I guess that I couldn't keep my promise from the previous chapter. (Sorry!) Summer has been absolutely hectic, and I actually didn't have much time to sit down to write. There were (obviously) moments where I would just sit there and do nothing, but I've done a lot with my summer. Between swimming lessons, and piano lessons (I had an RCM examination for ninth grade… it was terrifying), and my volunteering (OMGGGG, there was this really, really, really, really hot guy.. he was seriously sex on legs – I mean, his arms, his abs, his voice, mmmm), and my cousin's wedding (I travelled to Toronto!), and hanging out with friends (I probably spent 5000$ this summer), and reading four books for school (I only started one, boo), I guess I didn't have all the time in the world to write my story. Not that I'm going to give up… I hate having unfinished projects.

Well, school's starting in 13 days for me, and I'm going to be in tenth grade. I'm only looking forward to going back to school because I'll get to see everyone again. That's it. The schoolwork, and the extra pressure… bleh.

**So peoples! How were your summers & what do you like best about going back to school? :)**

I'm really nosy, and I'm always curious about what you guys have to say, so enlighten me! Haha.

Love always,  
Chigirii


	21. Chapter Twenty One: Sober

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything of Naruto.

**Destined to Love**_  
By: Chigiri Sasaki _

Summary: He was a prodigy, with a damaged past and no future. She was a commoner, with a hidden secret. Strung together by fate, it was only a matter of time before she changed his life forever. [AU, NejiTen]

**Chapter Twenty One**

_I don't like Neji._

Tenten shut her eyes tightly and ignored the tingly sensation that ran through her body when she thought of Neji's body against hers. It felt so oddly satisfying and electrifying—it was so strange that she had reacted so much. What if he had been shirtless? What if she felt his smooth body against hers…

She didn't allow herself to finish her thoughts, but her imagination had already conjured the image and she shivered. This was normal, she convinced herself, as she was a teenager and she had hormones. So it was only natural that her body would physically react that way. Neji was an attractive boy and was rather developed for a sixteen year old. If she was mentally attracted to him, then there would be a problem. There was nothing attractive about his personality, or his persistence, or his strength, or his drive, or his intelligence, or the way he was always calm, or the heroic way he saved her…

Tenten shook her head. There was nothing attractive about that.

And slowly, after blocking her thoughts and relaxing her body, she finally felt herself drifting off to sleep.

_Something was stinging, burning, almost__ too hot to endure—Tenten stared down at her bloody leg and cringed. She instinctively tried to grab her knee, where it had been cut and bruised, but she suddenly found herself sprawled on the ground. She struggled to get up; her arms and legs felt too heavy to move. She huffed and puffed but couldn't support her entire body. Defeated, she looked up to see a tall man with grey hair and eyes. _

"_Tenten-sama, you must work harder. Get up." _

"_I can't," she mumbled quietly. "My leg hurts." _

"_It's just a small cut—and you're only injured because you fell so much." _

_Tenten's vision slightly blurred and she quickly rubbed her eyes. "It's not my fault! You're a Jounin and I'm only seven and a half! You want me to defeat you?"_

"_That's the plan, yes. You have the potential."_

"_I don't," Tenten stubbornly cried. "Why do you k__eep saying that? Where's mommy?"_

"_I'm afraid she isn't here."_

"_Why do you keep saying that?" Tenten asked, more to herself than to anyone else. She rolled her tiny hands into fists and attempted to stand up. "She wouldn't let me do this… she would tell me to take a bath and take a nap." _

"_She's gone." _

"_Where's daddy?"_

"_He's gone too." _

"_Liar! I saw them last week."_

"_They're gone…"_

"_No, they're not." She managed to get back up, but realised she was too tired and sat on the ground again, spreading her short little legs in front of her. She crossed her arms. "Stop saying that!"_

"_They're gone, they're gone, they're gone…"_

_The figure before her suddenly grew bigger, the surroundings darkened, and the only thing she could see now was that terrifying and malicious man who had unusually piercing grey eyes. "They're gone," he repeated once more, cocking his head to the side. His words echoed in the air endlessly, almost as if a hundred different people said it all at once. "Run, Tenten, and I hope that deep down, your heart will always remember the love—they're gone… love… Tenten… forget… don't forget… Tenten—" _

"Tenten!"

The brunette woke up with a startled yelp when she caught sight of Neji and Leiko in front of her. Neji stood by the door while Leiko was standing next to her, wariness etching her eyebrows.

"Tenten, what's wrong?" Leiko put her hand across the brunette's forehead. "Are you sick? Your forehead is all red, and you're crying…"

Tenten subconsciously wiped her eyes. "It was… it was just a nightmare." Or was it? She knew very well that her memories were coming back to her… yet the more she saw of her past, the more she became afraid of learning the truth. She took in a shaky breath.

"I'm alright," she added with a reassuring smile. "Honestly, it was just a nightmare… I tend to overreact—I'm sorry if I woke you guys up."

Leiko waved her off apology. "Don't say sorry! It was no bother really, it's almost dawn—I would've woken up anyway. I thought something was hurting you."

"Thanks for checking up on me."

Leiko beamed, and Tenten grinned back, but from the corner of her eyes, she saw Neji frowning in the background. The frown only deepened when she shrugged her shoulders innocently.

"I'm going," Neji announced finally, and left the room.

"He was worried too," Leiko added with a slight smile. "You probably know how he is."

"I think we can all imagine," Tenten answered wryly. "Always silent with a dangerous intent in his eyes."

"Yeah, I know. But you know…"

"Yes?"

"You and Neji…"

"What about me and him?"

"Did I interrupt anything by coming here? Like, were you two in a relationship of some sort?"

Tenten's reaction was immediate. "No! Of course not. Why would you say something like that?"

"Well, I am a candidate… and I'm supposed to try to win his heart. I… I just kind of get the impression that I barged in. And you seem to know him so well, and he's always gazing at you, and even though it doesn't show I can tell that he's always worried whenever you're hurt…"

"No, no, we don't have anything, to be honest. I'm not going to steal him from you. Why would you even think that?"

Confusion flashed in Leiko's pale eyes. "Wait, aren't you the other candidate to be Neji's wife?"

Tenten burst out laughing. "As if they would even consider me! I'm just his tutor, Leiko—peer tutor, actually, since he's probably smarter than me. I'm not here to be his wife or anything, and it's not like the Elders approve of me anyway—they stare down at me like crazy."

"They're very polite."

"Sure, I guess."

Leiko laughed. "That doesn't sound very nice. I'm sure they're just not used to your bubbly personality."

"Me? You think I'm bubbly?"

"Sure. You're always smiling and you have such a bounce to your steps. No wonder everyone stares at you when you walk around—it's because they're wondering why you're so happy."

Tenten giggled. "I'm not as bubbly as I seem… but anyways, I hope you do realise that you're so nice and very worthy of something as prestigious as the Hyuuga clan."

"Thank you, Tenten."

"And that you should never worry about someone like me."

"That's not true." Leiko's eyes were strange. "Do you, by any chance, like him?"

"Me? What?" Tenten shook her head fervently. "If anything, he's my friend."

"Good. If you don't like him, then I actually have a chance at winning his heart… It's quite tough, with you around—not that I don't enjoy your presence, Tenten."

"It's all right, I'm used to being unappreciated."

"I didn't mean it in that way." Leiko paused to choose her words. "It's just that you're so close to Neji and everything."

Tenten bit her lip. "Why do you keep insisting on that? That's not true. It's more like the other way around… he knows more about me." She suddenly remembered the last few nights and got up hastily. "Well, we all have to get ready to go to the hospital."

And with that being said, Leiko left Tenten's room. They both took one look at the spot where Neji had previously stood—both longingly, even though neither one would ever admit it.

* * *

They arrived at the hospital by sunrise. By now, it almost felt like a home to her. Well, it was definitely a habitual place where she would visit every other day, if not daily. And even if she didn't go, she would still be able to picture everything in her mind, and if she thought hard enough, she could probably even smell the mixture of blood and medicine. And today, it looked like any other day; ninjas were running about, carrying all sorts of files and sheets. Most doctors were running in and out the doors, bringing children in and out for checkups.

The children's room wasn't any less quiet. Tenten smiled when she stepped in, and her grin only widened when a bunch of kids left the supervisor and ran to greet her. There was one especially familiar face—bright blue eyes blinked up at her.

"Amaya!" Tenten exclaimed, grinning.

"Tenten!" Amaya cried back just as enthusiastically. "I made so many new friends! I'm playing with people now! Doesn't that just mean I'm getting better?"

Tenten nodded and hugged the little girl. "I'm sure, Amaya. And don't forget the three wishes I'm granting you!"

Amaya grinned so widely all her teeth were displayed. "Of course! The first one was granted because, of course, I met Hyuuga Neji. And second, didn't I say that I wanted to get out of the hospital? I still really want to go out, if you don't mind taking me somewhere." Her smile didn't falter once. "But after that, Tenten-nee-chan can bring me anywhere! I can't wait to get all better!"

"Of course, Amaya. And what's your third wish?"

Amaya shrugged, blinking innocently. "I have what I need to make me happy, Tenten-nee-chan."

"So no third wish?"

"No, I still want one! It's just that… I'll think of something."

Tenten laughed, and began to play with other kids. She didn't want to exactly talk to Amaya, simply because she didn't know how to react to her hopefulness. Tenten had a feeling that Amaya was assigned to this room only because she wasn't contagious anymore. Amaya didn't have much more time to live, so Sakura or Ino probably wanted her to spend her last moments with other kids. There was honestly no use in keeping her locked in her room anymore.

"Tenten-nee-chan," a little voice piped, and seven year old Fuji tugged at the bottom of her pants. "Where's Neji-nii-chan?"

Tenten suddenly remembered what Neji had done to this child and immediately bent down to his eye level. "He's not here today, and he will never dare to touch you again," she said comfortingly. "Are you still hurting?"

"Yes, but I don't want to cry. I'm a big boy."

"Yes, you really are. You're very strong, Fuji." Tenten couldn't help but smile when the little boy beamed with radiance. "So what have you done today?"

"I did many things, nee-chan! I made a castle using those block toys! Amaya said that I couldn't build a tower with playing cards, so I wanted to prove her wrong. But then I couldn't make any of them stand up! Those cards are stupid… I'm sure Amaya tricked me." He suddenly caught sight of Amaya as she walked past them and grabbed her ponytail. "You liar! I still didn't get to tell you bad things because you lied to me. You're such a bad person!"

Amaya's eyes were horrified. "No I'm not! I didn't lie! And let go of me! That hurts!"

Tenten quickly stepped in and kept them apart. "Don't fight, you two. Apologise to each other right now, and this will not be mentioned again, alright?"

"I'm not saying sorry," Amaya cried stubbornly. "I only told him that he couldn't build a tower with cards because he was bragging about his tower of blocks. And I was right! And then he just hurt me… I didn't do anything wrong. Why should I apologise?"

Fuji crossed his arms. "She's being mean! She was just jealous of my block tower because mine was way bigger and taller than hers! And then she wanted to trick me so she could laugh at me! I'm sure that you can't even make those stupid cards stand up!"

"They so can, tell him Tenten-nee-chan! And my tower was only smaller than yours because you stole all of the blocks! You wouldn't share them with me!"

"Yeah, but then you took those blocks for yourself while I was trying to prove you wrong!"

"Of course I had to—I wouldn't be able to take them if you were hogging them. They're there so we can all share!"

"Not when someone's working on a big, big, big castle!"

"It was an ugly thing anyway!"

Fuji bit his lip and lunged forward at Amaya, but Tenten caught him and pulled him back. "No more fighting," she said sternly. "Now Fuji, you weren't right to take all the blocks for yourself. You have to learn to share. And the playing cards can stand up, but only with very steady hands and careful judgement. You also don't pull on someone's pigtails and call them a liar. So say sorry to Amaya for that."

"Sorry," Fuji mumbled.

"Now Amaya, you shouldn't have tricked him and ruined his castle, even if he was not sharing, even if he was bragging—it's okay to be proud of something that you made."

"I'm sorry," Amaya finally said, grudgingly. Suddenly she went into a coughing fit, and produced such hollow sounds that even Tenten had to resist cringing. Then the little blonde groaned softly when she stared into her little hands. "Not this again."

"What is it?" Tenten grabbed her hand, and her eyes grew wide when she saw little specks of red that covered her palms. "Amaya, is this… blood?"

Amaya slowly nodded. "I thought it went away. I thought I was getting better…" Her lower lip trembled.

Yet the supervisor didn't allow Tenten to find a doctor, as this was a common symptom of patients with the new, strange, unknown disease. Other children were not bothered by it, simply because every time Amaya coughed, she would be asked to wash her hands immediately and eat her medicine. She would then simply stay with her playmates and continue with her activities. Being a kid, it was easy to get distracted and forget the worries of life.

Amaya didn't cough for the rest of the day. Tenten stayed until visiting hours were over—that was when all the children were either asleep or picked up by their relatives that had to work during the day. Tenten was the only supervisor left in the room; she offered to stay the longest, since most of the other people had family members waiting at home. She smiled slightly; she sort of had a home, even if it would only last for another two months or so.

It was eleven o'clock by the time she checked out and changed out of her uniform. To her surprise, Neji was at the entrance of the hospital.

"What are you doing? Everyone else is gone."

"You're still here," Neji pointed out, shrugging.

"There were a few kids who wouldn't fall asleep."

"Was Amaya one of them?"

"How did you know she was there?"

"I passed by."

"Then why didn't you come in? You know she loves you."

"I had things to do."

"As usual," Tenten sighed, and then pointed towards the sky. "I wish she could leave the hospital, even for a little while… she said she wanted to run around with the snow falling. She had never made a snowman before. Can you believe that?"

Neji cocked a single eyebrow. "Well, have you?"

Tenten smiled guiltily. "Okay, so I haven't made one either, but… it's not the same."

"How so?"

"I take those kind of things for granted. Sure, I haven't made a snowman in my life, but nothing's holding me back. I can always make a snowman whenever there is enough snow. But Amaya can't." She exhaled slowly. "You know, I always complain about life's hardships, but there are always people who have it worse than I do. I can do whatever I want, because I'm physically capable, whereas Amaya…"

"You know, she's not as miserable as you think."

"That's only because she puts on a smile. She's just a kid. She's always going to find joy in something."

"That's because she doesn't know that she's going to die."

"You seriously don't expect people to tell her that, do you? That won't be fair."

"How is it unfair if it's only the truth?"

"It might not be the truth," Tenten replied stubbornly. "She wasn't allowed in the playroom before… Tsunade-sama put her in there. There must be a reason as to why."

"Yes, because Tsunade-sama wants her to have some playmates. Who wants to die alone?"

Tenten sighed. "Can you be any more pessimistic?"

"It's only the truth. I'm stating whatever you're telling me."

"No, you take my words and twist them around."

"If by twisting, you mean being realistic about it, then yes."

Tenten narrowed her eyes. "You're impossible."

The corners of Neji's lips twitched slightly. "You've said that many times. You say I'm the impossible jerk who has nothing to turn to, yet you still seem to stay. Why?"

Tenten tried to say something smart and witty, but then she realised that she didn't know why she was still dealing with this pessimistic bastard who kicked little kids. "I don't know. However, I also say that life is too hard for me to cope with. I mean, I hate being nameless and I hate not knowing who my parents are. I hate that I have the most unpleasant dreams—but I still have to live my life. What am I supposed to do? I obviously have to deal with it. I'm not the type to quit. I may break down every now and then, but in the end, I can't give up."

"You either have to end your life or live it. Staying with me is voluntary."

_Staying with me._

The way he said it, it sounded so… so… so romantic, as if they belonged together or they were strung together by fate. What was he implying? That he knew that she liked him? Wait, no, what was she blabbing about? She didn't like him—she definitely did not like him. She established that last night.

Neji must have noticed her floundering, and noticed his phrasing of words, so he cleverly added, "what was this morning about?"

"Huh?"

"The nightmare," he clarified.

"Oh… that. Well…" She paused. "I had a bad dream."

He didn't say anything, but Tenten knew that he knew she was lying. She took a deep breath. "Well, where to start? I've been having dreams about my past."

Neji raised an eyebrow.

"When I was still living with Ino, I had a flashback—it sort of felt like a scene from a movie. I saw everything through my eyes. I think I collapsed right then, because the next time I woke up I was in the hospital. Tsunade-sama told me that the short flashback was actually a memory of my past. There had been some kind of spell that made me forget everything, but Tsunade-sama thinks that the seal is wearing out. So now, my mind is slowly giving me pieces of my memory back—through dreams, usually."

"And was this morning's dream a bad one?"

"Yes," Tenten said quietly.

"What did you see?"

"I don't know—my parents were gone, no one else was there except for this man with really scary eyes. We were training, and I was hurt, but he kept telling me to stand back up…" She shook her head slightly. "I still don't know much about my past, but everything that I've seen… It's dark. Everything was so dark, so full of secrets and danger. My mom and dad left me, but at the same time they kept telling me that they loved me, and then they told me to not forget and… I don't know what to think anymore. Maybe I ended up in Konoha without anything for a reason—what if I was the one who chose to run away? I keep telling myself that I have to face the truth, but the truth is…" Her voice dropped to a whisper, and she stopped walking. "I'm just really scared."

Neji remained silent, but he stopped too and waited for her to regain her composure.

"I'm terrified, Neji. I'm scared of who I might be. I don't want to go through this. I've lived seven years in ignorance but I'm still not ready to see everything."

"Your past makes up who you are," Neji murmured eventually. "You can't run away from it. It'll always be there."

It felt like he was speaking more to himself than to her, but Tenten felt content enough knowing that he listened to her. Finally, she asked, "Neji, what was your past like?"

The edges of his ivory eyes hardened slightly, and for a brief second Tenten could've sworn that he stopped walking. Then he continued along, as if he didn't hear her question. Yet there was something underlying; there was tension, and her last words hung in the air like a taut cord.

Tenten decided to push her luck. "Hiro said that there's something under your headband," she said innocently, as casually and light-hearted as possible.

Neji suddenly stepped in front of her, so quickly and abruptly that she nearly collided into his chest. "Do you like Hiro-sama?"

His stare was so intense that Tenten was at loss for words. "Uh…n-no," she replied, trying to decipher the question. What was he trying to imply? "I mean, I like him as a friend. He's incredibly generous—he gave me this gorgeous necklace and all—"

Neji's voice was low. "He gave you a necklace?"

Tenten merely nodded. "It was a 'welcome back' gift… I don't have it on me, but—"

"Stay away from him."

"Why?"

"Just…" He paused for a moment, and he ran his hand through his hair. "He's not—he's eng—do you like him?"

"No," Tenten repeated, with a hint of annoyance. Why was Neji acting so strange? And since when did he stutter? "What are you trying to get at?"

"Nothing. Just stay away from him."

And with that, he opened the doors to the Hyuuga estate and walked at an abnormally fast pace. He left Tenten behind just to stare at the back of the most complicated boy she had ever met.

* * *

Right now, to Tenten, the Hyuuga estate really felt like home. She would walk out every morning, and no matter how crazy her adventure would be, she would always find herself back at the Hyuuga mansion. It almost lost its beauty, its richness—she was used to the sombre and ridiculously luxurious place. She wondered how foreign it would feel to go back to her tiny little cottage that was located all the way on the other side of Konoha. She wouldn't have maids, she wouldn't have such fancy meals, but most of all, she wouldn't see the same people.

Her being here was such a privilege. She liked it here. Sure, Neji was sometimes rude, and the job at the hospital was depressing, but she truly liked being here. She couldn't imagine finding out who her parents were and where she actually belonged. Honestly, she wasn't only scared; she also didn't want to leave Konoha. It was such a lovely village, with such lovely people in it, and even jerks like Neji would be nice occasionally.

She was busy every day, but if she stopped to think, she would realise that she changed so much as a person. Sure, life was hard, but there were always others who had it worse, like Amaya. Amaya couldn't do anything about her disease and was trapped in the hospital. On the other hand, Tenten was allowed to do whatever she wanted—so why was she always complaining?

Her past was frustrating, yes. However, what could she do at this point? She had always hated being nameless. What Neji said was right; her past made up a part of her.

Speaking of which, Neji himself wasn't so bad, even if he did constantly ignore her and whatever. He probably didn't have the easiest life—but he, too, was changing. Even if the progress was slow, it was still there, and realising that made Tenten really happy. After all, she was his peer tutor. She was supposed to make him a happier person.

A little smile graced her lips. Life was alright.

She suddenly heard lots of light footsteps, and then finally, someone bumped into her when she reached the corner.

"Sorry," the girl mumbled quickly, looking up. It was apparent that she had been crying—her eyes were slightly bloodshot and her nose was red. "Oh, hi."

"Leiko, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm fine… just… got a little worked up." Before Tenten could stop her and ask why, she quickly walked away and disappeared into a nearby bathroom. A distinctive click indicated that the door was locked.

What was wrong? Tenten immediately ran into Leiko's room, almost expecting to see Neji there. After all, wasn't he the one that made her cry as well?

But there was no one; only a letter that was hastily shoved back into a pale blue envelope. On the front, someone had neatly printed, "_Leiko._"

Normally, Tenten wouldn't intrude and poke into others' business, but Leiko was literally crying her eyes out. Something must have happened—what if there was an emergency back at Leiko's hometown? What if Leiko had no one to talk to?

Tenten decided that it would be okay to let her curiosity take over. After all, what harm could she possibly cause by reading a letter? It wasn't like she would tell someone else, especially if it was personal. She finally mustered the guts and unfolded the sheet of paper.

_Leiko, _

_Why are you not back home? Why haven't you responded to any of my letters? Why are you still with the Hyuugas? I want you back, so much._

This was going to be personal—Tenten could literally feel it. She was going to look away and scold herself for snooping, but the next words caught her attention.

_You can come back home if you want to. Your father might be angry, but at least I will be able to claim you as mine again. __I thought the plan was to get Hyuuga Neji to hate you, so you can be disregarded as his future wife and be sent back home. I don't want you in Hyuuga Neji's arms—I can't even fathom how much that thought makes me cringe. He will never love you like I do. So why is it that you're still with him? _

_Please don't tell me that you've grown fond of him. I thought you loved me—I thought we were going to have a happy life together. Is it the money? Are you afraid that your father will disown you and you'll have no money to live off of? Because that problem is solved. I found a job, and I'm working hard, and I'm saving every coin so that we can have a life together. I need you, Leiko, I…_

"What are you doing?"

Leiko's voice was literally trembling with anger when she saw Tenten holding the letter. The brunette immediately apologised. "I'm so sorry, I was just worried and—"

"That gives you no right—_no right_—to read my letters!" Her eyes were brimming with tears. "Get out!"

Tenten was shocked at how her usual charming composure had completely shattered. "I'm so sorry, Leiko—"

She couldn't even finish her sentence because Leiko pushed her out and slammed the door shut.

Facing the wooden door, Tenten smacked herself in the face. She felt even guiltier when she heard Leiko's quiet sobs through the canvas. What was she thinking? Of course something as personal as that should remain for Leiko's eyes only. Reading that letter was completely, utterly stupid, not to mention unreasonably ridiculous—and because she did read the letter, Tenten, too, was completely, utterly stupid.

How could she possibly face Leiko now? And it didn't help that they lived so close to each other. And what about Neji? If she had a lover back home, and she could go home if she wanted to, then why was she still here? Did Leiko really fall in love with Neji? Her mind instantly recalled the conversation earlier that day.

Then who was actually wrong in this situation? Leiko was the one deceiving Neji, and playing that Izanami guy at the same time…

Tenten wanted to slap herself again for harbouring such thoughts. Whatever Leiko hid was her business, and Tenten had no right to intrude on anything.

The instant Tenten wanted to apologise once more, the door slid open quietly. The brunette was stunned for a second; Leiko's long, violet hair was perfectly wavy again and her makeup wasn't smudged anymore. There was a slight fire in her light, amber eyes when she stared up at Tenten. "Don't tell anyone, please."

There was a quiet understanding between the two when their gazes aligned. Tenten didn't know what Leiko was thinking or was planning to do, but decided to keep her mouth shut. "Sure."

* * *

The next day, Tenten woke up to another chilly morning in the Hyuuga estate. By now she was used to the cold floor, the thin blankets and poor heating. Not that the Hyuugas couldn't afford heating; they just didn't seem to mind the cold. Their wardrobe barely changed even though the seasons did. It was like they retained more body heat than anyone else; they just went training and fought as if it was any other summer day.

She sprinted to the hospital by herself. She didn't want to bump into Leiko anymore. It would be way too awkward and she wouldn't know what to say. Besides, it felt great to breathe in the frosty and crispy morning air.

"Hey guys," she greeted breathlessly when she approached the entrance. Naruto and Sasuke both nodded their heads in acknowledgement. "Wait, why aren't you guys at the daycare?"

"Not suitable for me," Sasuke said solemnly, and proceeded to give a packet of pills to an elderly woman. "Consume with the water over there."

Tenten smirked. "And is this suitable?"

Naruto chuckled when Sasuke didn't reply. "Well, that old hag Tsunade finally figured that me and babies don't mix—"

"That's because you are like a baby," Sasuke interposed.

"I am not! But anyways, Sasuke-teme can't do anything either so she put us here. It's not like we can go out on any missions…"

"Isn't she trying to find a cure?"

The blond shrugged. "Beats me."

Sasuke tapped on her shoulder. "You should tend the children now."

"Yeah, but I'm going there alone?"

"I think Tsunade-sama found a replacement. A Hyuuga, too, I think."

A whole family hoarded in before Tenten could ask who it was. She signed in with the receptionist and made her way to the daycare room. Who could possibly be the replacement? It definitely wasn't Neji, or Hinata, since she was positive they were called in early because they had to guard the borders. Well, whoever it was, he or she better be good at taking care of children. She remembered the first time she was here. It was practically a disaster, with Lee preaching and Neji kicking…

"Hello Tenten."

The brunette froze slightly—only a certain someone possessed such a silky, velvety voice. She immediately faced the tall man with a small smile. "Hi, Hiro."

"Fancy seeing you here."

"Shouldn't you be at the borders? I thought all the noble clans were at the borderlines."

"Yes, but I thought I would take a day off and relax a little."

"Are you just lazy?"

"No, taking care of kids is actually a lot more work." He gestured with his chin towards the infant he carried in his arms; it looked kind of odd, but he somehow looked very handsome feeding the child. "I just wanted this shift instead. I get to go home earlier."

"You can go if you want. I can handle the kids by myself," Tenten said reassuringly. That was a lie, but a nurse would usually come in and check up on her.

"I'm not tired, if that's what you think. I simply have to leave… for personal reasons." He smiled dazzlingly.

"Personal reasons?"

His smile did not falter. "Yes."

A little child tugged at her hand. Tenten looked at Fuji, who grinned widely. "Hi Tenten-nee-chan!"

"Hi Fuji!" Tenten bent down to his eyelevel. "How's your back today?"

"It's getting better!"

"Does it hurt?"

"Only if I really press on it. If I touch it like that"—he lightly pressed against Tenten's cheek—"then it's fine."

Tenten gave him a little hug. "I hope you get better really quickly!"

Fuji grinned and ran off to play with his playmates. Tenten immediately lit up with delight when she saw him working with Amaya. They were both cooperating to work on their large tower and even shared little cute smiles. And above that—life was returning back to Amaya; her eyes had more life and there was a rosy flush to her cheeks again.

Yet little did she know that Hiro was watching her the entire time. The hard edges of his eyes softened, and seeing her laugh made him want to smile as well. It was like the entire room had lit up with her presence; what a pleasure she was compared to his fiancé.

Aki, a little boy whose father was hospitalised, poked Hiro in the ear.

Hiro didn't even bother to turn around. "Yes?"

"Do you like Tenten-nee-chan?"

"No," Hiro said immediately, but his eyes were fixed upon the brunette.

"Then can you just watch her? Because you're ruining my drawing." Aki pointed to the area where Hiro had been working on. "The colours don't match! My pig is supposed to be green, not pink! I thought I told you that."

"Oh, sorry."

Aki rolled his eyes. "I don't know why, but no matter how strong some men are, women can easily make them go on their knees."

Hiro finally turned to look at Aki, eyes filled with amusement. "Such wise words coming from a nine year old."

"I'm nine, not stupid."

Hiro chuckled. "Fair enough."

"So you do like Tenten-nee-chan."

Hiro smiled mysteriously but kept his mouth shut. Finally, he said softly, "you always want what you can't have."

* * *

When Tenten was allowed to have a short break, she decided to see Tsunade-sama. She still had to grant Amaya's second wish—and that was to leave the hospital. Tenten was almost positive Amaya would heal completely; she was starting to look healthier. So Tenten wanted to bring her out for an adventurous day before the eight year old was officially released.

"You do realise she is very weak," Tsunade said the instant Tenten asked her. The blonde woman, who had a bottle of Sake in one hand and an energy drink in the other, looked a lot older behind the large, wooden desk. "She is not physically capable of going out for more than a few hours."

"A few hours will suffice."

Tsunade glanced at the brunette and pointed towards her drinks. "You know mixing these two drinks is very dangerous."

Tenten reluctantly nodded.

"Normally I would drink Sake and nothing else. But, I'm risking my health here because I need an extra energy boost. And you know why?" Tsunade-sama didn't pause and slammed her hand on her desk. "Because there are patients to save! You think this is not serious? You think Amaya's condition is actually improving?"

"She looks better—"

"What would you know? If I didn't work as much as I did she would be _dead _by now!" When a long pause of silence followed, the Hokage sighed impatiently and rubbed her forehead. "I apologise for my outburst. It is simply the result of the stress. However, it's my duty—and wait. Why am I telling you this?"

Tenten waited for her to finish and actually counted to five before speaking. "If she's going to die, then why won't you let her be happy, even for a little while?"

"How are you going to make her happy? How are you going to make _all _the sick kids in here happy?"

"I don't know, but I'm trying. I'm helping out, aren't I? I don't have to be here; you didn't order me to be here."

"You're here now, so you will listen to me. You're doing a fine job, that I cannot deny. But there is no way that you can favourite one child and give them special treatment."

"I'm not picking favourites! This is something that Amaya wants, and I met her before I met all the other kids. I would consider this as helping out a friend—a little sister, even."

The old woman grabbed the nearest object—her pen—and snapped it in two. "Will you leave me alone if I agree?"

"Yes, definitely."

She tapped her nails against a metal clipboard, which was now missing a pen. "I suppose…"

"Please?"

"Alright—fine. But you will watch her at all times. Carry her medicine with you. Carry lots of water, do not let her out of your sight. Do not watch that new movie—it will be dark and you won't be able to tell whether she's dead or just not talking."

Tenten winced at the words. "Of course, I'll take care of her."

"And I will only let you go if you're bringing someone along—is there someone that is responsible and trustworthy?"

"Neji," Tenten found herself saying. "Neji will come with us tomorrow."

"Neji?" Tsunade wouldn't have believed her if she was someone else. But there was something about this teenage girl that made her nod and agree to whatever she proposed. Was she, the imperious Hokage, getting softer? No, that couldn't be it; she was actually extra hard on everyone because she was so grumpy from the lack of sleep. She then caught sight of the many glass bottles by the windowsill.

Maybe it was just the alcohol.

* * *

"Neji!" Tenten ran up to the prodigy with an extra wide smile. "How was your day?"

Confusion and suspicion flashed in his eyes but he nodded slightly. "It was fine. What do you want to ask me?"

"That obvious, huh?"

Tenten finally found Neji after he came back from the borderline; it had been seventeen long hours since he left the Hyuuga mansion this morning. He was waiting at the front, with a bunch of other families, who still came in abundance but were much more calmer. She quickly guessed that they came to visit. But she was only paying attention to the prodigy, who stood out from them all. Naturally, being a tall, sixteen year old, his head stuck out from the crowd. He looked absolutely perfect—his eyes were mesmerizing, but serious, his shoulders were broad, but not too wide, he was strong, but not bulky, and he was so cold, but still kind… it almost made her heart swell with pride when she walked through the crowds to talk to him.

"Well," she continued to say, "I have a favour to ask of you. You know, Amaya is doing a little better, and she's always wanted to go out of the hospital for a day. And Tsunade-sama said yes, only if I had another, responsible, trustworthy person with me."

"You want me to go."

"Please, Neji? It would mean so much to me and Amaya."

"Why didn't you ask someone else?"

"Because Amaya loves you and I know that you are trustworthy and reliable. So if I end up messing up—"

"I'll be there to fix it?" He raised an eyebrow when she smiled angelically.

"I have to work," he said after a moment. "The Hokage specifically gave me tasks to complete."

"Yes, but it's only for a day, and she said okay when I mentioned you."

"You mentioned me, as if you knew I would go?"

Tenten laughed sheepishly. "Sort of?"

His eyes flickered to the random people eavesdropping, and quickly ended the discussion. "Fine."

"Yay! Thank you, Neji! I owe you one!" She felt like doing something—like giving him a hug of some sort, but it was still Neji, and she knew he would push her away. So she thanked him once more and skipped back to the children's playroom. Only the nurse was there, changing an infant's diaper (which Tenten still didn't know how to do). Hiro was nowhere to be seen. Tenten furrowed her brows; she hadn't seen him since he left for his break a good five hours ago.

"Don't worry, he returned. He's just in the bathroom," the nurse replied when Tenten asked of his whereabouts. The old nurse pointed to the bathroom that they had built right outside the playroom. "He's been in there for a while since he came back."

"Did he say where he went?"

"No, that child mumbled something about his family and then left for the bathroom."

"Oh." It made sense; the Hyuugas were private and secretive.

"Sweetie, go check on him. He looked quite upset."

"Okay, thanks."

The instant Tenten stepped out into the hallway, Hiro came out from the bathroom. Their gazes aligned, and for once nothing flirty and light-hearted came out of his mouth. His light lavender eyes seemed darker, and the frown that marred the straight line of his lips made him look ten years older. He suddenly stared at the floor, his shoulders slumped, and his hair fell over his eyes.

There was an awkward silence.

Tenten was taken back; she didn't know what to say to the stranger standing before her. "Is there something wrong, Hiro? Cause the nurse said that—"

She stopped herself when he glanced up and cast her a chilly stare.

"Hiro, um, maybe we should get back to the—"

He abruptly took a step forward, and his entire body jerked and wobbled as if he didn't know how to balance either foot. Tenten rushed forward and steadied him; while doing so, she caught a whiff of his breath. Her voice was filled with incredulity. "Have you been drinking?"

He didn't reply. He only glanced up at her, stared at her for a moment, and then fell back into her arms.

"Hiro! Seriously! You should've been more responsible! You can't—"

"Can I talk to you?"

"What?"

The quiet request was more of a plea than anything else. When she took a good look at him, there was none of that breezy confidence or amusement that usually lingered in his eyes; he was drunk, but only sincerity surfaced. "Please."

"Oh—" The brunette glanced at the playroom and quickly sighed. "Alright. Let's get you to a chair of some sort."

She managed to bring him to a bench that was built near the elevators. She groaned from relief when the heavy weight finally left her shoulders. "What am I going to do with you? We're supposed to be working right now. Our shift today doesn't end until eleven… you can do whatever you want then. Why would you get drunk at this time, anyways? It's only nine o'clock, for crying out loud!"

"Because," he said quietly, and his head dropped backwards. "Because I have to."

Tenten resisted rolling her eyes. "Of course you did. Now, wait here. I'm going to find you a nurse."

Yet before she could leave, he held onto her hand with an unbelievable strength. "I meant what I said. I want to talk."

"Fine." Tenten sat beside him and waited patiently for the drunk young man to say something. "What do you want to talk about?"

There was a long silence. The younger teen took a peek at him; her nostrils flared with anger when she saw him sleeping. What was wrong with him? What was he doing? More importantly, what was _she_ doing? She should be calling a nurse by now—she was simply unfit to deal with a smashed and strong Hyuuga.

The elevator emitted a sound and the doors opened. An elderly couple walked past them and they both cast Tenten a disapproving look. The old lady shook her head in disgust. "Teenagers these days…"

Tenten groaned. She didn't know what was worse; the fact that she was neglecting her job, or the fact that everybody that came onto the fifth floor would pass her and Hiro. It wouldn't be a normal sight either, with her being a helpless volunteer and him being drunk but still intent on holding tightly onto her hand. She tried to break free.

His soft, velvety voice stopped her in her tracks. "What makes you happy, Tenten?"

"Having my hands free."

A soft chuckle came from the drunk boy, who still had his eyes closed. For someone that reeked of alcohol, he sounded pretty sober. "Answer that question honestly, and I'll let go."

Tenten sighed in defeat; there was no way she would be able to break free from his grasp. "Well, I meant what I said—I like being free. I hate being told what I should do, so I guess it makes me happy when I know I'm doing what I want. I also love being around people that make me feel good about myself. Is that enough?"

His grip was still just as unbreakable. "What would you do if freedom was taken away from you?"

"I would fight for it."

"What if you never had it in the first place? What if you were born to obey the rules?"

"Then I would still have hope. I would wait until the day where I won't be trapped."

"Wouldn't you be unhappy until then?"

"No," Tenten replied slowly, "because how could I possibly be sad, if I never knew it existed in the first place? The same thing applies to happiness. You won't know how happy you are until you suffer greatly."

"So you would be happy?"

"No, I would be content."

A little bell went off again, signalling that someone was getting off the elevator. The doors opened, and Tenten smiled meekly at the family of four that walked past them. The youngest child, a little girl with two braids, giggled and pointed at Hiro.

Tenten tugged at her hand when they were out of sight. "Hiro—"

"Are you content now?"

It didn't take her more than a second to answer. "Of course. I'm healthy and I've made lots of friends."

Hiro gave one, short laugh. "You are very lucky, Tenten."

Tenten frowned in denial. "I am not always lucky. I've had my fair share of misery, and it's not like I have no problems to worry about right now. It's just that you can't always dwell on those problems, even though your brain thinks and your heart feels otherwise. Life always moves on, you know?"

"That doesn't always apply to me."

"Can you tell me what your problem is?"

There was a pause. "I'd rather not."

Tenten had no reply to that, so she stood up. "Let go of my hand now. I've answered all your questions and more."

His hand finally loosened its hold.

"One more thing, though," she said. "This morning, you told me that you were working with the children because you wanted to leave early. But Neji, who was guarding the border as well, finished his job and returned back to the hospital at nine. Our shift ends at eleven. You do realise that your previous—"

"I know."

The elevator went off again, but no one passed by them, so Tenten proceeded to ask her question. "What do you mean, 'I know'?"

"I know when the shifts start and end." At last, Hiro sat back up and looked at her squarely in the eye. "I just wanted to spend time with you."

Tenten stopped in her tracks, blinking in confusion. "N-no… you're drunk, Hiro…"

"I don't care what you think, Tenten, I—"

A cold voice interposed the Hyuuga. "That's enough. Leave her alone."

Tenten froze, and then laughed in relief when she saw her saviour—and it was no surprise to see the infamous Hyuuga Neji standing by the elevator. Somehow, he would always find her and save her, no matter where she was. He immediately approached them and stood in front of the brunette, shielding her away from the seventeen year old. "What are you trying to do?"

Hiro grinned lazily. "Whatever you think, Neji."

Tenten couldn't see Neji's expression, but she had a pretty accurate image in her head. By now, she sort of figured out the relationship between Hiro and Neji; she didn't know the exact details and what happened in the past, but it was quite obvious that Neji hated Hiro but couldn't do anything about him because Hiro had some kind of uncanny power. She shuddered simply thinking about a match between these two Hyuugas. She quickly tugged at Neji's sleeve. "Let's go, Neji. And Hiro, I'll find someone else to help you."

"That won't be necessary," murmured the nineteen year old, who stood up with ease. "I'm fine."

He seemed fine, and she didn't really have anything else to say, so she and Neji headed towards the elevator. She pretended to not hear Hiro calling after her.

"One thing, Tenten," he was saying in his velvety voice. "Hyuugas never get drunk."

**A/N:** Oh, Hiro. (Hope you got his drift.)

You know what's really weird? It's like my stories predict real life's events. My epidemic in the story = swine flu. The hospital thing = I ended up watching kids for my community service, which is also volunteering. And Hiro = I actually met someone like him, who is scary as hell. But then again, those things are pretty general everyday things haha.

I love, love, love reading your reviews! Nothing makes me happier than to read a review on my iPod early in the morning when I'm in class. Thanks for the continuous support; I love you guys for that. I hope you guys liked this chapter!

Thanks for reading.

Chigiri Sasaki


	22. Chapter Twenty Two: Waterfall

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything of Naruto.

**Destined to Love**_  
By: Chigiri Sasaki _

Summary: He was a prodigy, with a damaged past and no future. She was a commoner, with a hidden secret. Strung together by fate, it was only a matter of time before she changed his life forever. [AU, NejiTen]

**Chapter Twenty Two**

"I told you to stay away from Hiro," Neji muttered quietly as they were walking back to the Hyuuga estate.

"He was drunk."

"Someone like Hiro has a very high tolerance for alcohol. All Hyuugas do," he stated.

"Then why did—"

"He had to act drunk. He knew he wouldn't have been able to get you to talk to him otherwise."

"Well, he sounded really upset. He reeked of alcohol—what was I supposed to do?"

"Get someone else to take care of him. You still have a job. You cannot neglect the children."

"I was only trying to help," Tenten defended herself defiantly.

"You don't need to try," Neji countered. "Hiro-sama always needs help."

"That's nice."

"That's the truth."

"Well, it wasn't like he ate me."

"Yet."

Tenten suppressed laughter at his crude humour; she was trying to be serious. "I was trying to be a good person!"

"Exactly. An excess of kindness leads you to all sorts of downfalls."

"You can be such an asshole sometimes."

"Never mind, you are not kind."

"Hey, that's not nice—wait, you think I'm kind?"

"Never said that."

"But you mentioned it twice."

"You're annoying."

This time, she couldn't help it; she laughed wholeheartedly. To Neji, her laughter sounded more like tinkling bells. There was always this unexplainable serenity that surrounded her whenever she smiled. The prodigy couldn't help himself; the corners of his mouth curved upwards. It looked more like a twisted smirk than anything else, but it was still a smile and Tenten caught it before a frown took over. She didn't want to make anything out of it, but her heart swelled with giddiness.

She liked his smile.

"Hey Neji, will you do me a favour tomorrow?"

"I'm already accompanying you."

"Yes, but can you just promise me something?"

Neji didn't reply; it was his way of telling her to continue.

"Please promise me that you won't tell Amaya anything."

"About her condition?"

"Yes."

Neji nodded slowly, but his eyes flickered over to her for a moment. "Is she that important to you?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"What do you mean, 'why'? She's someone I care for."

"She's not family."

"Well, she's like the little sister I never had," Tenten admitted honestly. "I just don't want her to be unhappy."

"She's never going to be constantly happy."

"Maybe, but what's wrong with trying to make the best out of everything?"

Neji remained silent, stuffed his hands into his pockets and lifted his gaze to stare at the night sky. "You have such optimistic views." He ended in such a way that implied his thoughts trailed off; he sounded like he had something else to say so Tenten waited patiently as they continued to walk. Their breaths came out in little white puffs; the nights were getting colder as winter made its presence known.

"You are very lucky."

"Huh?" The feeling of déjà vu made the kunoichi blink a few times. "That's strange. Hiro told me that today as well."

A scowl took over Neji's features immediately. "Why does he keep talking to you?"

"Why do you hate him?"

"I don't need to tell you why." Neji stopped; they had arrived at the Hyuuga mansion. The guard acknowledged their presence with a polite nod and let them both in. Neji immediately sprinted to main doors, leaving Tenten confused and with no one to talk to.

* * *

Six Hyuuga Elders, not including the clan head, sat around a wooden rectangular table. The room, located in the very west wing of the Hyuuga estate, was dimly lit, with torches in each corner and a small candle in the middle. Considering the clan's wealth, the condition of this particular room was rather poor but it was the first place ever built under the Hyuuga name and therefore had the most history to it. Hundreds of years ago, the very first Hyuuga leader had been crowned here.

"Hideki-sama won't make it."

It was a single statement, said almost casually by Hyuuga Hitoshi, but it formed a hole in tension filled air.

Hiashi's eyes were grim, but he had predicted such an announcement—they all had. Hyuuga Hideki, the oldest and most venerable Hyuuga in the entire clan, was sick and his health was failing fast. The Elder had fallen sick due to the epidemic, but unlike the patients at the hospital, he was over ninety years of age and his immune system was much weaker than anyone else's. He was the top priority at the hospital; Tsunade-sama was constantly working on his case.

Not that the other people weren't important. It was just that all the affected patients seemed to be stable; they weren't recovering but their condition wasn't worsening, either.

Recently, the Hokage revealed that the lightning country was the one who set the virus free in Konoha. It confirmed the Hyuugas' fears—the Raikage knew. The Hyuugas must have slipped in performance somewhere, because word had gotten out and the Raikage discovered that Hiashi was never killed. And now, due to the grudge the Lightning country held against them, there was an epidemic and more than half the population was sick.

"Hideki-sama cannot die. He is the greatest Elder," Hyuuga Hisoka protested, as if he was in denial.

Hiashi closed his eyes, inhaling and exhaling softly. Hisoka was right; the clan needed Hideki. He was like the base, the one person who had enough clout to overturn the leader's decision by himself. No major decision was made without consulting him. And to Hiashi, this meeting was useless. There was none of that great wisdom Hideki possessed that provided more insight than anything else. When it came to knowledge, Hideki was superior to even the clan head. In fact, Hideki only stepped down from the leader's position because Hiashi was physically stronger.

"Hiashi-sama, what are you thinking?"

Hiashi had been thinking a lot these past few days. In a way, the Raikage had a right to be angry; he was deceived, so it only made sense that he wanted to seek revenge. And he would most likely not settle for anything less—he was still after the Hyuuga secret.

"I'm going to give up my life," Hiashi finally said.

Instantly, the members of the clan glanced at each other. Before they could voice their opinions, Hiashi put up his hand, demanding for complete silence.

"It's only right," he explained. "I was supposed to die twelve years ago. My life was spared because my brother sacrificed his." His hand rolled into a fist. "I'm going to end this. They caused that epidemic because they want the Byakuugan—so let's simply give it to them. Maybe we'll finally establish a true alliance with the Lightning country."

"You have no idea as to what you're saying," Hisashi said, slamming his hand down. "Do not let Hideki's absence cloud your thoughts. Are you giving up?"

Hyuuga Hisao stood up. "Do you know what would happen if everyone knew of our weakness? Konoha would cease to exist."

"That's not true," Hiashi countered. "Konoha will survive, just like they survived years ago when the Uchiha clan was slaughtered."

"The Hyuuga clan is much more prestigious and Konoha is strong because _we_ are strong. We are the backbone to the fighters and you know it."

"You know what would end Konoha?" Hiashi demanded. "A war, because right now we are vulnerable. And a war is going to break out soon if we don't surrender. The Raikage is behind the entire epidemic—he planned it all out and is most definitely going to kill us all."

"The Hyuuga clan alone can fight them off," stated Hiroki with confidence. "We have other reliable members to fight with."

"Yes, we can only lose if _you_ let them have our bloodline limit's secret."

"There would be no war in the first place if I just end this now," Hiashi said quietly. Questions were immediately shot at him.

"We have been cherishing this secret for hundreds of years! You're going to give it up now?"

"How would we continue to be Konoha's noble clan if we are weak?"

"We have to end this," Hiashi repeated, with such authority the entire room went silent. "There is no other way. It's about time we resolved this issue."

"We cannot afford to be weak," Hotaka finally said. Before Hiashi could say anything, he added, "what will we do without you, Hiashi-sama? We're already going to lose Hideki-sama."

Hiashi was silent for a moment. Who was going to be the new clan head, if he were to die? All of these Elders—they were all too old to be physically capable of leading the clan. Hiashi was already noticing a decline in his powers and he was only in his mid forties. These Elders were all at least a good ten years older than him.

Hisoka was young and merely in his twenties, but he was only considered as an Elder because his father died young and wanted someone to take his place. Hisoka was nowhere strong enough—physically and mentally—to handle the clan's affairs.

His oldest daughter Hinata was weak as well. She was too kind-hearted and lenient to be able to make her own decisions. She was too quiet and couldn't possibly endure the Elders' constant demands. Hanabi, on the other hand, was probably much more capable than Hinata in this sense. However, she was far too young and had barely mastered her Byakuugan.

"Hiro," Hisao suddenly said. "If you're thinking about crowing a new leader, let it be Hiro. He is clearly the most suitable for such a position. He is part of the main family, he is strong, and he has a fiancée."

Hiashi shook his head. "I'm not sure if he'll carry through with the marriage."

"What are you saying? All Hyuugas are to marry the person that is right for them."

"Maybe Hiro doesn't love her."

Hisoka slammed his fist down. "Damn it, Hiashi. First Neji, and now Hiro. They have to marry whoever is assigned to them. They cannot call the marriage off simply because they don't fancy their partner. You are becoming much too lenient and considerate for your own good."

"Then perhaps it really is time to change our leader," Hitoshi said coldly. "Perhaps you are no longer fit to lead the entire clan if you let such trivial factors hinder your judgement."

Hiashi's flickered for a moment; he was barely listening to the Elders. "Yes, we should."

"Who shall be appointed as the new leader, then?"

"No one in the main family is mature and strong enough," Hiashi stated.

"Are you implying that we should let someone from the branch family become the leader?" Hitoshi's eyes were cold and disapproving, but mostly full of disgust. "That's atrocious. They have the curse mark sealed upon them. It's their fate to protect the main family, not lead them. Chaos will ensue if such a thing happens."

Hiroki nodded in agreement. "A member from the branch family has never been chosen to be the leader. Perhaps we shall wait until Hinata is of age. After all, she is fifteen. A few more years of training and maturing will—"

"We can't wait that long," Hiashi interposed. "The epidemic is happening now."

"Then what do you suggest? That we allow a branch member to take over? That is unheard of."

"Until now," Hiashi corrected. "We can remove the seal. It will be a long process, and it will consume a lot of time, but it can be done."

"Do you seriously think the main household can be overshadowed by the branch family?"

"Potentially, yes."

"And exactly who do you have in mind?"

"Hyuuga Neji."

A pause of silence followed. All the Elders wanted to protest, but they truly had nothing to argue about. It was true, that Neji came from the branch family, and was therefore lower in status, but he was undeniably the perfect candidate. He was strong, smart and very hardworking.

"That makes sense," Hisao said slowly, "although I don't necessarily agree with it."

"But he is not even engaged yet," stated Hotaka. "Leiko is only an option."

"Neji does indeed possess some remarkable qualities, but Hiro is still a better candidate," Hisao insisted, and the rest of the Elders agreed.

Hiashi only shook his head in response.

* * *

The next morning, before the crack of dawn, Hiashi found Neji training alone out in the cold. He was working as hard as ever, blasting away trees and grass and everything that was in sight. To Hiashi's great surprise, Neji was working on some new techniques involving only the mind and the Byakuugan. Hiashi's eyes grew wide; suddenly Neji's eyes were shut, but he somehow managed to singlehandedly take down a thick tree without moving. Any other tree surrounding it was not the slightest bit affected.

Hiashi let out a small chuckle; Neji had to be the new leader. Someone like Hiro would never be able to come up with something like that. Neji had so much more potential, even though he was still only sixteen. Right now, Hiro probably had a slight upper advantage in strength but Neji was improving way faster.

Neji opened his eyes and faced Hiashi with an impassive expression. "Yes, Hiashi-sama?"

Hiashi approached the prodigy with a slight smile. Neji had grown into a fine young man; yes, he would do the clan justice.

"Last night, there was a meeting regarding the new appointed leader."

Confusion flashed in Neji's eyes. "What does it have to do with me?"

Hiashi stared at his nephew for a long time. "How would you feel if I told you I can remove your curse mark?"

* * *

Tenten, freshly showered, tied her hair up into her two signature buns and smiled at her reflection. It was slightly warmer today, but it was still cold enough for snow to fall. She could see a completely white neighbourhood through her window, and the way the snow glistened under the sunlight made her very happy.

She quickly got out of bed and ran out to the training grounds, where she knew she would find Neji. She was going to tell him to get ready for a big day with Amaya. However, to her surprise, Neji wasn't training; all the kids were out instead, playing with the freshly fallen snow. Soon enough, an elder came out and told them to train. They all quickly resumed to throw targets.

Tenten went back into the mansion and found Neji in his room. Her first instinct was to knock, but she was sort of in a rush, since she told Amaya they would get there early in the morning, so she decided to just barge in.

The first thing she saw was his back—his bare back. She instantly blushed, mentally scolded herself for not knocking and was about to apologise. But before she could swerve around to leave, Neji said, "I'm not coming today."

"What?"

He didn't repeat himself. He got up, put a shirt on, and put a piece of paper on his desk. He looked at her pointedly.

"I'm not leaving," Tenten replied. "Why aren't you going? You promised—"

"You can go by yourself. I will tell Tsunade-sama that I went with you."

"So you're going to the hospital?"

"Yes."

"Then why can't you come with me?"

He didn't reply for a while. "I need to think."

The way he said it sounded very odd. It lacked the coldness and confidence that he usually possessed. He sounded confused, almost scared. She recognised this kind of tone—something was up, and even though it was Neji, she wanted to know. "What's wrong?"

"It's none of your business."

"Neji—"

"Get out."

_Get out._

That was what Leiko said yesterday, wasn't it? When she had some personal letters on her desk and Tenten decided to intrude. Tenten seemed to be too nosy and curious for her own good—she needed to stop getting involved into others' businesses. Neji was right; she was constantly poking into other people's lives. Neji wasn't being mean. He had the right to cancel their plans, because it was only a favour. He didn't have to explain why he couldn't come either. Furthermore, he didn't need to tell Tenten his problems—she wasn't some kind of therapist, and it wasn't like she was helpful anyway. So she just smiled at him and left the room.

She bumped into Hiashi in the hallway. The venerable man smiled warmly at her. "Hello, Tenten."

"Hiashi-sama, is something wrong with Neji?" Her voice trailed off in wonder when the clan head suddenly stared off into the distance.

"I said something to him earlier. It was a… shock, to say the least."

"Oh." The hesitation was a clear indication of secrecy. She immediately knew that secret clan affairs were involved and she, a mere commoner, wasn't part of it. She nodded slightly in rejection.

"It's nothing, really. It's not worth your concern."

"It's sure worth Neji's."

Hiashi chuckled. "Perhaps Neji will tell you."

Tenten cocked her head questioningly.

"It's not my place to tell you."

* * *

"These babies are the cutest things in the world," Tenten said as she picked up an infant no longer than her forearm.

"Be careful, Tenten-san. Remember to support their necks," Lee advised wisely.

Today, they were in charge of a room of solely toddlers and babies. Leiko, Tenten, Lee and Neji were assigned to this room. Everyone was working hard to keep every infant quiet, except for Neji, who simply sat on a small stool by the window. He had requested to change his job multiple of times, but there was no one else willing to trade spots.

Tenten didn't bother him that whole morning. "I can hold them all day!"

"I know," Leiko agreed as she poked the baby's cheek.

Lee was making funny faces to the baby in his arms and it gurgled happily. "I love it! Every baby loves me!"

Leiko laughed. "Lee-kun, you're amazing with kids."

"Yes! Thank you! I've always wanted to be good with kids! But when you're a ninja, you always tend to be rough—"

"Not true," Tenten interposed. "I'm not that terrible with kids."

"But women are naturally better! They have the instinct."

"Is that supposed to be sexist?"

"Yeah," Leiko added playfully. "You think that we're here to take care of kids?"

"No! I didn't mean it like that!" Lee cried, almost in horror. "I apologise if I offended anyone, I didn't mean—"

Both Leiko and Tenten laughed and continued to tend the baby in their arms. They were the most lovable creatures Tenten had ever seen; they were all pudgy, they all had velvet-soft, rosy cheeks, and their fingers and toes curled up in the most adorable way. They were all endearing, smelled good and they each had a unique feature that made them wonderfully angelic.

A baby, across the room from the three working teens, began wailing. Neji, who was sitting less than a feet away from the crying infant, simply stared at it, expecting it to stop. Tenten sighed exasperatedly. He had done absolutely nothing since they got here. She didn't want to say anything, since she didn't want to bother him, but she couldn't help it. "Neji, can you please do something?"

"It won't stop."

He was tired. She could sense it—they all could. She sighed once more and went over to pick the baby up. "It's alright, little one…"

Suddenly, another baby began wailing, crying probably because its diaper was full again. The constant cries triggered the other babies to cry as well, and soon, the whole room was filled with nothing but howls and yells.

At that moment, Neji snapped. He jumped to his feet, scowling fiercely. "This noise is loud and irritating. The smell is foul and revolting. Can someone make it stop?"

"Maybe you should go out for a walk," Leiko suggested calmly.

"Leiko is right," Lee added. "If you can't handle the babies—"

"No, Neji, _you_ make it stop," Tenten interrupted with a hint of annoyance. "You did nothing so far. Don't make it sound like we're doing nothing, because we have been working the moment we got here. In fact, you haven't done anything since day one!"

Neji stared at her. Tenten cast her most intimidating look back at him.

Finally, the Hyuuga prodigy snatched a baby girl from her crib and placed her on the nearby table. He expertly unfastened her pants and the diaper, lifted her legs, wiped her bottom with a wet napkin, and quickly patted some powder. He wrapped her in a new diaper. He then put her pants back on and discarded the old diaper in one smooth motion. The baby girl instantly stopped crying and began to gurgle happily when Neji picked her up, drooling and leaving gooey saliva on his shirt.

Neji turned to the gaping teens. "There."

"He's good with babies?" Leiko asked with raised eyebrows.

"This is truly a shocking day," Lee agreed.

Tenten crossed her arms and turned away, pretending to be unfazed. To be honest, she was a little bit jealous. Why was Neji perfect at everything? He was amazing when it came to training and fighting… shouldn't he be rough and violent? Yet he wasn't. He was amazing when it came to handling children. The way he was carefully taking care of each baby, testing milk on his wrist, supporting their necks… it seemed too… surreal. It was almost like she was thinking of a futuristic Neji, who was a father, taking care of children…

Tenten shook her head. Where did that come from?

But no, she was mad at him. Because of him, she and Amaya were stuck here. Amaya was sick and she wanted to get out for a day. Tenten was even granted permission by the Hokage herself. Everything was set… but then Neji had to cancel last minute. And she wasn't going to take Amaya out alone—she technically wasn't allowed to. And Amaya loved him so much, he had to come. She just had to convince him tonight, or tomorrow morning.

"I'm going to take a quick break," Leiko suddenly said. She gestured towards Neji. "He'll take my spot, I guess."

Nobody objected, so the violet-haired beauty left the room in a haste.

_

* * *

Dear Izanami…_

Her pen stopped. Why did she sound like she was pleading? She quickly crossed it out.

_Izanami… It's Leiko. Look, I… _

No, that wasn't right either. It sounded like she was mad at him or something.

_Izanami-kun…_

_I'm sorry. I can't return to you anymore. I've decided that staying here will be the best for the both of us. My father will stop pestering me about my duties, the rice country will be protected by the Hyuuga clan, and you won't have to work so hard anymore. It's going to be great. And in ten, or maybe fifteen years, we will look back and smile. _

Leiko bit her lip. That wasn't true.

She was using cheesy sad movie lines as a last resort to somehow mask the emptiness she was feeling. True, if she wasn't in love with someone else, she would've loved Neji. Neji was everything that a girl could ask for—he was tall, gorgeous, smart, kind and rich. He could even handle babies. Yet, the attraction she had for Neji was nothing compared to the way she felt when she was with Izanami. Yet, her father…

She hands balled into fists as she stared into the bathroom mirror. She looked like an empty doll. Her eyelashes were long and curled, her skin was flawless, her cheeks were rosy… but her eyes—they were lifeless. She felt like a zombie living here. She didn't mind being with Neji and the rest of the clan, but it felt like she was doing everything mindlessly to distract herself from the misery. Because every night, when she ran out of things to do, she felt like crying.

She had agreed to this entire engagement a while ago because it was her duty. However, she realised that in actuality, she just wanted to get away from it all—the fights, the headaches, the tears that she had shed because her father hated Izanami.

"Leiko-san?"

Sakura was standing by the doorway, her emerald eyes looking concerned. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes." It was a lie.

"Is there something that you need help with?" Sakura half-smiled. "Are the kids too much?"

"No, they're adorable."

"What do you have there?"

"Oh, this?" Leiko scrunched up the piece of paper, realising that that was the eighth letter she had written. "Just a note I found it in my pocket. I now remember that I ran out of mascara."

Sakura laughed. "Oh, okay. Well, if you want to take the rest of the day off, you can. All the non-ninja volunteers are being dismissed because we don't need that much help anymore." She put a finger to her chin thoughtfully. "Actually, I think even some regular ninjas can go… Yeah. Go tell Tenten, Neji and Lee that a nurse will come to take care of the babies. We pretty much have things under control now anyway."

"I will. Thanks."

After Leiko informed the others of the early dismissal, she quickly ran back to the Hyuuga estate without another word.

* * *

"Why do you think Leiko was in such a rush?" Tenten asked Neji as they were putting on their coats.

Neji, who only had a thin sweater to put on, shrugged slightly. He had gotten more approachable and productive as the day passed by, which made Tenten secretly sigh in relief. She was starting to get really worried—she knew Hiashi had told him something this morning. What he had told him, she didn't know. Should she pry and find out? It seemed like everybody had their own private business to deal with, while she babbled away whenever she had the slightest problem.

But she didn't really care about other people's problems. It was only Neji that she cared about, because he was just… Neji. He was the enigma that she couldn't solve. He knew of almost all of her fears, her dreams, her desires—she had cried in front of him because he knew what her weaknesses were. He listened to her as she chattered away like a babbling fool—he let her go on and on, and even though he wasn't exactly responsive, she knew he listened.

She bit her lip as she saw him signing out at the office. "Hyuuga Neji," he murmured in his velvet voice, and she could swear that the receptionist was slightly baffled by his beauty. Or maybe she was… but she couldn't stop staring at him.

"Tenten," he suddenly said.

Tenten snapped out of her daze. What?

"Who's that?" The receptionist asked kindly.

"Her. She's signing out as well."

"That's been recorded." The elderly lady smiled warmly. "Thank you both for all your help."

"You're welcome," Tenten replied with a grin. "She's really nice," she commented once they were outside.

It was still sunny, which was a pleasant change. The days were much shorter now that it was winter. And it didn't help that Tenten had to leave for the hospital early in the morning and work until nearly midnight; it would always be dark whenever she went outside. However, today they were dismissed in the afternoon. Sun rays were peeking through the clouds, with just a hint of snow falling from the greyish sky.

She glanced at Neji from time to time, wondering what he was thinking about. She didn't want to go back to the Hyuuga estate just yet; she wanted some answers. If they weren't bringing Amaya out for a day of fun, she wanted to at least talk to him, because she didn't understand much. There seemed to be a lot going that involved the Hyuugas—Akira, Hiro, and now, this. She knew she was crossing the line by invading his privacy, but…

"Can we go somewhere?"

Neji stole the words right out of her mouth. It took a moment for Tenten to digest these words. "Sure. Where?"

"I don't care."

He wanted to avoid the Hyuugas, she could tell. "Is there a place in Konoha—"

"There is a waterfall."

She was going to suggest a park of some sort, but a waterfall sounded very appealing. "Oh! Is that the one near the forest that—"

"We fell off a while back? Yes."

"Okay."

She didn't know whether they were going to run or walk—they were ninjas, but they were in no rush to do anything. So she followed Neji, subconsciously matching her steps with his. There were festive lights everywhere in Konoha. Everywhere she looked, there were blues and greens and reds that wrapped around every lamp post on the street. People were walking about, laughing and chattering away with their families. Granted the place wasn't crowded, due to the epidemic, but the cases have been getting more stable so people were allowed to go out. There was so much spirit and laughter going on that it nearly made the wintry air warm.

"Is there a festival?" Tenten asked.

"Yes. Most likely organised because the epidemic is not as serious anymore. People feel more obliged to spend time together."

"Tsunade-sama sure is generous."

"Perhaps."

"Don't you like festivals?"

"They're pointless."

Tenten frowned. "How so?"

"We waste money. We eat there, as if we can't eat better and healthier foods back at the Hyuuga mansion. People are everywhere, pushing and shoving and cutting in lines. Girls are screaming, kids are crying, and then you see parents desperately trying to discipline their kids. It's utterly ridiculous."

"What if you had someone special to share it with?" Quickly, she added, "don't you want to take your family?"

"No. They would go without me."

"That's no fun."

"Festivals are no fun."

"Way to suck the fun out of everything."

He raised an eyebrow. "You can go if you want."

"Would you come with me?"

"No."

Tenten sighed. "Then I have no choice but to stick with you. I want to see the waterfall anyways."

"Do as you wish."

Neji quickened his steps, and Tenten had to catch up a little. He walked unusually fast, almost like he was on the verge of breaking into a sprint. Yet, while she looked like a fool trying to half run, his movements were smooth, as if the people around him were walking especially slow and his pace was normal.

"You walk fast." Tenten didn't mind, however, his fast walking allowed them to get to the forest in a relatively short amount of time.

"You hear that?" She said after a while.

"Hear what?"

"The waterfall!" Tenten exclaimed with a smile. They were currently passing through the forest, which wasn't half as dark and gloomy as the other time because all the leaves had fallen. The ground was no longer muddy or slippery; it was solid and lightly coated with a thin layer of snow.

Slowly, they approached the area, which was secluded and completely white, except for the waterfall that was rushing down from the top of the cliff all the way to the bottom. The scenery was magnificent. It started from the very top, between snowy banks, and continued along the side of the forest. A week or two ago, they had gotten trapped in a thunderstorm somewhere along the way; it was so different now. It was serene. Only she and Neji were here, she realised faintly. If something dangerous happened again, no one would know, but oddly, she still felt calm and safe.

Her eyes were now fixated upon Neji, who decided to sit against a thick tree. His pale lavender eyes stood out amazingly against the white snow. He truly was handsome. And something about the way he only needed a thin sweater in the cold winter was very appealing. Maybe it was his long hair—

"So," she said as casually as possible as she plopped down next to him. "Will you tell me why you avoided the Hyuugas?"

"What makes you think that?"

"You didn't want to go home right away," she pointed out.

"The Hyuuga estate is not your home," he stated flatly.

"Oh. Well, fine. Then let's just sit here until you decide to say something."

"You're stubborn," he said as his eyes shut and he leaned against the tree trunk.

"Yes."

His eyes were still closed, but she felt him stiffen next to her. "How much do you know?"

Tenten inhaled sharply. So he knew what she wanted to ask him all along.

Somehow, even though she was the one stepping into his privacy, even though he wasn't looking at her anymore, she felt vulnerable. She felt like she was supposed to give some kind of inspiring speech when she was clueless about what she was talking about. She knew very well that she was crossing that fine line, yet, something deep in her yearned to know more about this mysterious boy. "I wasn't told much," she said, choosing her words carefully. "I just want to know… What happened in the past? You calling Hiro 'Hiro-sama'? Your parents? It's not like I never noticed their absence."

When he didn't move or say anything in response, Tenten drew her knees closer and bit her lip. Somehow, she felt hurt that he didn't want to open up to her. She didn't know why she was so talkative when she was around him—she always spoke too much. Just like that time at the hospital. She remembered that day quite clearly; it was the day where she had injured him. It had only been a week since her first arrival yet she spilled all of her innermost fears and dreams. She had spoken of them ever since, and even though he was never responsive, he at least listened.

"My mother left my father when I was four."

Her head snapped upwards, eyes wide.

"She was simply an average girl," Neji murmured quietly, his eyes distant. "She was an ordinary commoner, yet she possessed Hyuuga blood. Apparently, her father—one of my grandfathers—had a brief affair with one of the village women. He started seeing her after. He wanted everything to be a secret, but the clan found out soon enough and forbid him to pursue the relationship. So my grandfather had no choice. He left this woman, not knowing that she bore his child.

"The child—my mother, actually—grew up. Twenty years later, in the search to find her father, she met Hyuuga Hizashi, who is my father. She was different and the clan couldn't stand her because she was essentially the result of a terrible mistake. They looked down upon her, but Father paid no heed to any of it. Their relationship was only permitted due to the consent of Hiashi-sama, who was the leader then too. It was the one shred of freedom that Father had."

Tenten could only gaze at Neji when he suddenly stopped. He was battling something in his mind, she could tell. She had never seen him like this—so strained, so worn out, so pensive yet there wasn't a trace of coldness to him. What did Hiashi say?

"She did what all mothers were expected to do," Neji continued after a moment. "She watched as I trained with Father, she took care of me and fed me well. However, there was that one night where she said something strange. 'The Hyuugas are too much,' she had said. At that night, at that age, I had thought nothing of it. I was only four and I already knew that they treated her unfairly. It seemed like nothing new… I only remember wondering why she brought it up all of a sudden. I kept wondering after that, because that was the night she left."

Instead of the expected bitterness, hurt flashed in his eyes. "Nobody knows what happened to my mother after she left. Nobody cared enough, not even Father. When I asked him about that, he didn't say much and simply said that he deserved it, since he didn't protect her as much as he could of."

"Of course he did," Tenten interrupted softly. "He loved her and stood by her side… isn't that enough?"

Neji gave one hard, cynical laugh. "There must have been something that Father had done wrong."

Tenten bit her lip. Why was he thinking negatively of his own parents?

"Everybody, in the end, is fated to be hurt and betrayed. Love, you say? Love is only a belief that has given humankind a glimpse of hope. It's unobtainable, but useful in the sense that it reassures the human mind. Isn't that why they say ignorance is bliss?"

Tenten shook her head fervently. "No, Neji," she replied fiercely. "You're wrong. How can you be so sure when you have never been in love?"

"I never was because there is no such thing. Overrated, appearing in stories and movies of all sorts, feeding false information to people. There is a reason as to why adults aren't as fond of love stories as infants. Infants haven't seen the world yet and still have their innocence. They like to believe and have faith in people. And then, when they finally enter adulthood, they realise that everything is much darker." There was a slight crookedness in his eyes at this point. "Me… well, perhaps I'm lucky I realised these things much earlier."

"You don't know," Tenten retorted. "So what if everything isn't perfect? At least when you have faith, you'll be happier. And isn't that one of the greater rewards in life?"

"More than often, that doesn't happen," Neji murmured, and he gazed at Tenten, so intently she forgot to breathe. "Along with hope comes pain. The more you believe in something, the harder you strive for it, the harder you fall."

"So you don't believe that you'll ever love someone?" Tenten asked finally, softly. "Simply because you saw your parents fall apart?"

"It wasn't just my parents," he muttered quietly. "Couples are only temporary. Commoners tend to have affairs where trivial factors such as jealousy and financial problems come into play. Ninjas can never be together without running into problems, as if surviving during A ranked missions isn't hard enough."

"What about the elderly couples, that stay together until their hair turns grey? I'm sure they ran into problems, but they made it through."

"Once again, you think idealistically. What are the chances that everything will turn out perfectly?"

"That's why you make efforts! Neji, if you don't try, how do you expect things to turn out the way you want it to?"

"I don't. Fate controls it. Love itself is a shallow, abstract illusion of the human mind. They're weak, emotional bonds that make people believe they're attached to their partner. It's not worth all those efforts, all that pain. Why not spend that valuable time to train? It's much more practical."

Tenten stared at him in disbelief. "There are couples that do love each other," she said indignantly. "I'm sure my parents loved each other."

"So did mine, and they're dead by now. And I'm not being blatant, but where are your parents now? There must be a reason as to why they abandoned you like this." Seeing her hurt expression, he added impassively, "it's fate. There are just some things that aren't meant to be."

"Fate doesn't exist!" Tenten couldn't help but burst. "Fate has nothing to do with anything! Each of us is in control of what we do. We are in control of our own happiness!" Somehow, it sounded more like she was trying to convince herself. And she was, wasn't she? She was the poor one without any family, not him. "So maybe there are some things in life that are inevitable," she said finally. "Maybe there is nothing that's left to chance. But if fate controls everything in our lives, then what's the point of human effort?"

"There is none," Neji replied coolly. "You learn from what others have done in the past. That is the wisdom that you gain from ancestors. If love isn't written in the fates, then isn't it better to not love in the first place? It would certainly save all the pain."

"Isn't that like asking, what's the point of living when you know you're going to die in the end?"

Speechless, Neji opened his mouth but no words came out.

"I know something happened today," Tenten continued quietly. "Hiashi said something important to you, right? You're different, I can tell. Otherwise, you wouldn't be talking to me like this."

Neji turned to have a good look at his tutor. Who was this girl? She was so unexpected, so different than anyone he had met.

"And fate—you blame your misfortunes on fate because it's easier to accept, isn't it?"

She even had uncannily accurate gut instincts. There was so much determination to her, so full of life. In the letter, his father had told him to accept companions into his life. Was he possibly referring to someone like Tenten?

He gazed upwards, almost expecting an answer to reveal itself. Never in his life had he felt so befuddled. He had always been so sure of himself, until Tenten came and shook his world. But his father's letter… his father changed his outlook of the Hyuuga clan completely. Yet, it was still strict, and yes, the fact that his father was dead still remained. But maybe Neji was blinded. Maybe, he was the one that cut himself away from the outside world. He blamed fate all these years and accepted whatever that was thrown at him because he thought he had no willpower or freedom to fight against it.

He thought his sole purpose was to die protecting a member of the head family. At least that was what he was told anyway.

But in the end, was it really all that bad? His father had given up his life because he wanted to protect his twin brother. Was it that unfortunate that Hizashi died because he was protecting someone he loved?

It wasn't, because that kind of act was honourable. His father was honourable, and Neji shouldn't have simply assumed things.

And now, Hiashi was offering to remove his curse mark. Then, did that mean all those years of suffering was for nothing?

"You don't have to tell me everything," Tenten said suddenly, taking him by surprise. "I don't want to pry if you don't want me to know. But I'm here to listen."

He nodded slowly, not knowing how to reply.

"Can I ask you one thing though?" She turned to him and smiled hopefully. "Why are you so insistent about fate?"

Neji fell silent. He leaned back until he could feel the cool, moist bark against his back. His breathing was even and steady, which surprised him because he never felt this way when he spoke of his past so openly.

Fate.

Fate came up in his life continuously. It was inevitable, it was expected, it decided everything. That was what he believed just a few weeks ago, wasn't it?

It was easy to blame fate. It was the simple justification to any mishap that occurred, to him or anybody else. That being said, the concept of fate applied to almost every aspect of his life. It was fate that his father belonged to the branch family. It was fate that caused his father's death. It was fate that made Akira betray him.

Then, was it fate that brought Tenten?

No, he thought, with the tiniest of smiles. There was nothing inevitable about her. She clearly wasn't supposed to cross paths with him. What did a commoner like her have to do with someone like him? She even left at one point, but she came back. She was persistent, she never gave up and that annoyed him to no end. It was clear that she didn't belong to the Hyuuga clan. She had her own life, her own problems, but she still bothered with his life even though she wasn't supposed to. It was like she was defying the fates itself.

His father didn't believe in fate either. He opted for his own death. He told Neji to forge his own destiny, because there was more to life than becoming a great ninja. There was more to the clan's pride and reputation.

It went against everything Neji believed in.

Yet, was it possible to break out of the barrier that surrounded him? He spent so many years polishing it. Why was the cage there in the first place? Was it really caused by the cruelty of the world, or was it a shield he used to protect himself from getting hurt again?

That was the reason why he wanted to push Tenten away in the first place, wasn't it? It wasn't because he didn't want to give up his pride or lose his training time. It was because he didn't want to get hurt.

But now what? She had promised that she would never hurt him.

And now what? The main cause for everything—the curse mark that supposedly determined his fate—was removable. Did that mean he had everything wrong?

Neji sighed in defeat, letting go of his cool demeanour completely.

"I don't know," he murmured finally.

The water continued to fall, and the wind continued to blow, but Tenten couldn't take her eyes off him. The whole time he was thinking, she was gazing at him, trying to decipher his expressions. There were so many, but pain was so evident it made her want to cry. She never imagined he would have a side like this to him. Underneath all those cold, exterior layers was only a vulnerable boy, hurting and unsure of himself. The edges of her eyes softened.

She could tell that there was more to his past, but she was content with what she knew. He was tormented, and it was clear now. She always guessed that he must have had some kind of trauma in his life, but she never knew he harboured such thoughts and carried such a heavy burden. In a way, she didn't want to know more—she didn't care about the past right now. All she wanted to do was wrap her arms around him tightly and ease his pain.

All of a sudden, she realised how much she cared for him. At first, befriending a cold-hearted jerk seemed like such a tiring job. She had stayed persistent, because she needed the money, but as she got to know him better, she became intrigued and truly wanted to become friends with him. But now, it was something different. She finally saw his composure slip. She felt his pain and wanted to be the one he trusted. Unknowingly, she rested her head on his shoulder.

Neji immediately froze. "What are you doing?"

Tenten bolted upwards. "Sorry—I was tired—"

He stood up stiffly, with an unreadable expression. Tenten immediately grimaced; his reaction probably indicated that he was disgusted. She expected him to insult her, or request to leave, or something of that sort. But instead, he dusted himself and stared at her expectantly.

"What?" she asked, dumbfounded.

"Let's train."

"What? On water?"

"Don't tell me you don't know how to stand on water."

"I know how to stand on water," Tenten retorted hotly. "It's just that I haven't done so in a while."

"Well then, follow me." He stepped onto the water as if it were solid ground, the rush and flow of it not affecting him at all. It was evident that walking on water was like breathing to him. "Release a steady amount of chakra from the soles of your feet."

Tenten did as she was told, managing to follow him to the centre of the large body of water. Neji instantly fell into an offensive stance, and she followed suit. She was actually quite nervous. Yes, she was able to stand on water. However, she had to concentrate and wasn't sure if she could do that while fighting someone strong like the Hyuuga prodigy.

"Taijutsu," Neji called out simply.

"Sure."

He charged at her instantly. It caught her off guard and she barely missed a punch that was aimed at her stomach. She retaliated, kicking at Neji's side while his arm was still raised. Bringing his arm down at an unbelievable speed, he easily caught her leg and grabbed it with both hands. He was about to throw her across the lake when she jumped and kicked his neck with her other leg, forcing him to drop her.

Without missing a beat, Neji crouched low, unaffected. Instead of sweeping at her feet, however, he grabbed her legs with one hand and her torso with the other, successfully carrying her into his arms. Tenten was too shocked by his move and their proximity to do anything. Before she realised what his motives were, he dropped her, and since she had long lost her concentration, she plunged straight into the freezing lake.

She stuck her head out of the water, sputtering in anger. "You—you!"

There he stood, with a smirk on his face. "Yes?"

Tenten stayed in the water, regardless of how cold it was; she was too astonished to do anything. This was, without a doubt, the most surprising day she had ever spent with him. First, he brought her to this place, had a long talk with her, and now, here he was, smirking and—dare she say—teasing her.

She finally summoned enough strength and concentration and exited the large body of water. She was soaking wet from head to toe, and she shivered from the chilly breeze that seeped into her clothes. She sneezed.

"You really can't stand on water."

"Yes I can!" But Tenten couldn't finish her sentence without sneezing.

"Take this."

The brunette turned around, and her eyes widened in shock when she saw Neji taking his sweater and top off. He kept a mere wife beater on; a flimsy, white, slightly wet fabric that did nothing but flatter his muscles. The way he took his shirt off—

She bit her lip and looked away, blushing. "I'm fine. It's winter. You can't walk around like that."

"Neither can you. You're wet."

"But I—"

"You're a lot more fragile than I am."

"Are you being sexist?"

"No. Last time your fingers nearly fell off. I'm used to the cold, so just take it."

Tenten sneezed again; she really did need something dry. And it wasn't her fault she was cold—he was the one who pushed her into the lake. Well, technically she wouldn't have plunged straight in if she had concentrated more, but it was his fault for surprising her like that.

She snatched it with as much dignity as she could. "Fine. Thank you."

She glanced at him, and he glanced at her, and for a moment their gazes were fixed upon one another. Finally, she awkwardly laughed and said, "can you turn around?"

Realisation flashed in his eyes and he turned around. Watching him from the corner of her eye, she slowly took her wet shirt off; it wouldn't have mattered whether Neji looked or not, because she had bandages wrapped tightly around her torso anyway. She kept it there for comfort and for slipping in some extra weapons. She made sure everything was in place and carefully put on Neji's clothes. "I'm done."

"You don't have to be so conscious," Neji commented almost airily. "With the Byakuugan, I can see through fabric."

Tenten's hands flew to her chest. "What?"

"I can if I want to. But I won't," he said. His eyes were indescribable. "I'm not interested."

"Good." It took Tenten a moment. "Wait—what's that supposed to mean?"

But Neji was already ahead of her, his hair swaying back and forth in the winter breeze. He really was full of rude remarks, but there was something about him that was very attractive. He was definitely physically attractive—she had to give him that. He looked effortlessly good no matter what he wore. But there was something about his cool, impassive expressions and his crude humour and his intelligence that made her… well, she wasn't going to swoon like some silly girl but something definitely tugged at her heart.

She took in a deep breath, realising that the pleasant scent floating around actually came from Neji's shirts. His sweater and top reached her thighs because he was taller than her, but it was nice and warm and cosy. It smelled like a mixture of wood, soap and detergent, with just a hint of cologne. It was distinguishable yet subtle. It was very… Neji-like.

Neji swerved around suddenly, eyebrows raised.

"Coming," she called out, breaking out of her daze. By now, it didn't matter if he didn't say anything—his expression gave it all away.

They arrived back to the Hyuuga mansion before dinner was served. Hiashi was at the front gate with an indescribable expression on his face. "I was wondering where you two went."

Tenten bowed slightly. "Sorry we're late."

"I was told you two were dismissed early and no missions were assigned. I was worried when no one knew of your whereabouts." His eyebrows shot up questioningly as he gestured towards Tenten's attire. "Where did you go?"

"She fell into a lake." Neji sounded like he was suppressing laughter.

The corners of Hiashi's eyes crinkled as he chuckled. "Is that so?"

Tenten's cheeks flushed. "It's not my fault! I can walk on water! But then Neji wanted to fight, and I was a little hesitant, since it's really cold and I didn't want to get wet. So we were fighting normally, but then he picked me up randomly and dropped me into the lake! It's his fault that I got soaked! Stupid Neji. Thanks a lot, you stupid little—" She continued to grumble as she walked away, pouting.

The prodigy followed her shortly, eyes amused and a slight smirk playing on his lips.

And Hiashi was left, shocked and mouth slightly agape.

**A/N:** I woke up especially early today and managed to type a couple thousand of words in a few hours. It's my Christmas gift to you! Thank you so so much for reading, it means a lot to me. Now, I have to get ready to leave in a couple of hours... now that I think of it, I still have to wrap up some last minute gifts haha.

**I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy **_**happy**_** new year!**

Cheers,  
Chigiri Sasaki


	23. Chapter Twenty Three: Embrace

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything of Naruto.

**Destined to Love**

_By: Chigiri Sasaki _

Summary: He was a prodigy, with a damaged past and no future. She was a commoner, with a hidden secret. Strung together by fate, it was only a matter of time before she changed his life forever. [AU, NejiTen]

**Chapter Twenty Three**

When Tenten first entered the Hyuuga mansion that night, her lips were curved into a smile. By the time she warmed up, ate dinner and took a shower, she was still grinning.

She had no idea as to why the smile seemed so perpetually fixated on her lips. Perhaps it was due to the giddy feeling she felt at the pit of her stomach whenever she thought of Neji, which was literally every second after their talk at the waterfall. Was it weird, that she was constantly wondering what he was doing, or what he was thinking about? She couldn't get him off her mind. And it didn't help that his room was located right across from hers. He was probably outside training, but it was like she could feel his presence through his possessions.

It was only reinforced by his clothes that were laid out on her bed. Neji had lent them to her earlier today when she had fallen into that lake. She didn't want to tell the maids to wash it just yet… was that weird?

Was it also strange that she felt oddly excited, yet at peace at the same time? As if her heart was bursting with this unusual warmth and all she wanted to do was to just sit by the wall and indulge in thoughts of nothing but Neji.

She paused.

Did she actually like him?

It was unexplainable. There was definitely attraction, because no one could deny the prodigy's attractiveness. She liked the way he smelled, the way he looked and she especially liked the deepness and velvetiness of his voice. However, it wasn't just some silly fan girl crush because she knew there was more to him than pretty pale eyes. It wasn't exactly infatuation, because she was still annoyed and frustrated with the way he acted sometimes. But she did respect and admire him, because he worked harder than anybody could fathom. And then there were times where she would feel this giddiness, or peacefulness, or sympathy… It was unnerving to know that he brought out every emotion in her.

She couldn't help it; she slipped on a thick robe and headed out to the Hyuuga training grounds. It was past midnight by now. The winds were chillier, the snow was falling, but she didn't mind the cold too much once she caught sight of Neji. He glanced at her briefly but didn't do or say anything else to acknowledge her presence.

"It's getting a bit late," Tenten said when he paused to switch stances. "Aren't you cold?"

"No," he replied. He suddenly stopped. "It's much colder when you simply stand there."

"I suppose." She blinked. "You're done already?"

"Isn't that why you came out here?"

"What—oh, you thought I was going to tell you to come back in. Well I'm not—I just couldn't sleep." She readjusted her robe, tightened the bow and walked out into the snow. "It's beautiful tonight."

"I guess."

"There's something very calming about watching snow fall." She gazed upwards into the clear blue night. "In a way, I like the numbing coldness. It's refreshing."

"It also keeps you cool when you're training."

Tenten smiled softly. "Is everything revolved around training?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I am a fighter," he replied simply, shoving his hands into his pockets. There was a brutal truth to his words. "I have no choice but to train. I cannot be defeated."

"Winning isn't everything."

"Winning is the only thing."

She paused. "Don't you ever think that there might be more to life? That there is something out there for you, something that's bigger and better?"

"I am forever bound by the Hyuuga name. Without it, I am nothing."

The words sounded familiar; she recalled yelling out those insults when she had lashed out at him. "Look, I didn't really mean what I said that day. I was angry, and—"

"You were right."

It took Tenten a minute or two to digest those words and to come up with a response. "No," she said slowly, "what I said wasn't true. You're not nothing—no one is nothing, because there's always more to a person. There's a reason why you train so hard, right? You are motivated and hardworking, which are qualities that many people lack nowadays. You're serious about what you do because you're certain about what you want in life. In that sense… many people admire you."

Neji's lips curved into a tiny smirk. "You know, you never fail to amuse me."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You are a hypocrite."

"Hey! That's not nice."

"And you're childish."

"So?"

"And despite everything that I've said about you, you still are here, and complimenting me."

Tenten crossed her arms. She felt her cheeks warming up, but she was convinced that it was the cold. "What's wrong with that? I'm being the better person. You know, taking the high road. And I'm optimistic. So bite me."

"There is nothing wrong with optimism."

"Yeah, well, who's the hypocrite now?"

"What?"

"You've always said that I'm an idealist with a fantasy filled head."

"You do, but I don't always say it."

Tenten resisted her urge to stick out her tongue. "Well, it was implied."

"It was, wasn't it?"

"Yes." She subconsciously tightened her robe.

"You're cold." It was a statement.

"Not really."

"It's also getting late," he suddenly said with all seriousness. "Get back inside. You shouldn't be tired when you take Amaya out tomorrow."

"Wait, what?" Tenten's eyebrows shot up with delight. "So you're coming tomorrow?"

"I said I would," he replied simply. "So we should go back inside now."

Tenten wordlessly did as she was told. As she walked back with Neji behind her, her eyes softened. Neji was going to accompany her and Amaya tomorrow. Who would've guessed that someone so seemingly cold was actually caring? The Neji she first encountered months ago suddenly seemed far away. And this Neji…

Tenten felt her heart beat just a little faster.

* * *

In another room, a golden-haired beauty sat on a bed, crying and burying her face into her hands. Leiko was sitting next to her and was trying to console the dejected girl. "It's alright, Sumiko-san, things will get better. Maybe you're just being paranoid. There's a big chance that he's not seeing some other girl."

"I know, but I can't help it. I can tell that he doesn't love me." The blonde's voice trembled. "I don't need him to worship me, and I know that it's hard to love someone that was assigned to you like a mission. But it's not like I got to choose my own husband either, and it's been over a year! I've been trying the entire time! I'm trying so hard to be the perfect fiancée, but…"

"I know," Leiko said gently, "I understand your feelings perfectly—more so than you think."

"Ah, I'm sorry," Sumiko said, sniffling and trying to control her tears. "You must think that I'm being frivolous and silly. You're going through the same thing but you're not even complaining, and here you are, listening to my complaints and endless ramblings of my petty insecurities. I'm terribly sorry."

"No, don't apologise for something like this. I know that it's very hard."

"It doesn't show."

"I've cracked a few times," Leiko admitted stiffly.

"How can one not?" Sumiko sighed. "Don't you ever wonder what life would've been like if we weren't born to prestigious families? There would be no one to constantly tell us to dress and talk properly, to tell us who to love and marry…"

"That would be great." If the quiet whisper was any louder, Sumiko would've picked up the underlying sadness. "But we don't have a choice."

"No, we don't." Sumiko caught her reflection in the mirror and laughed through her tears. "Look at me, I'm a mess. I look like a racoon." She continued to chuckle as she swiped at the smudged areas. "I've never been that fond of makeup, you know. It makes me feel like I'm hiding behind a mask, a façade because I'm too cowardly to be anything less than perfect."

Leiko smiled. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." She offered the other girl a tissue. "You try so hard to keep yourself together… that itself is an admirable quality."

Sumiko mustered a small grin. "I thought that after a year, I would get used to this entire concept."

"It's not easy."

"I just don't like that feeling… that feeling of my position being jeopardised. My father needs me to marry a Hyuuga. I can't return home. I can't dishonour my father, or my family name…"

"Me neither."

"Leiko-san, you are very lucky that Neji is a loyal boy. Only sixteen, but he possesses so many admirable traits. If I were one year younger…"

Leiko giggled. "Dealing with Neji isn't so bad, but it isn't exactly a walk in the park either."

"Hm, Neji as your husband… what do you think about that?"

"Me? I can't exactly say anything about him. Neji and I are both only sixteen. We still have two years until we have to marry. A lot can happen until then."

"You're right… I'm just wary. You'd think that a seventeen year old would be ready for marriage."

"I'm sure that things will smooth out in time." Leiko paused. "Say, you've never mentioned your fiancé's name."

"That's because I know that word gets around here very easily—I don't want any rumours starting if my fiancé isn't actually cheating on me." Sumiko's voice dropped to a whisper. "But since you know my name, you'll probably find out anyway… his name is Hiro."

* * *

The hospital was back to its usual, controlled state, without the overwhelming urgency and fear that previously lingered in the hallways. Although there were still sick patients, everything seemed to be under control. Neji and Tenten arrived the next morning and headed straight to Amaya's room, but on their way they bumped into Sakura. The pink-haired girl, who wasn't treating anybody at the moment, immediately lit up and urged them to follow her into her locker first, where she pulled out a magazine.

"Look!" Sakura flipped to a bookmarked page and thrust the glossy magazine in the brunette's face. "Tenten, we're in a magazine!"

"What?" And surely enough, a very foreign yet familiar face popped up. "Th-that's me."

"I know, it's weird seeing yourself, right? But it's so cool at the same time! I got it today in the mail, thinking that it was just another magazine, so I freaked out when I saw us! They had a feature for the hottest, newest books that are going to be released next month, and guess which one is the most anticipated? Ours! Well, technically not ours, but we're on the cover, and it's called 'Gravity'—you know, because the girls in here are addicted to something and it brings them down, just like gravity. Get it?" She took a deep breath and her emerald eyes were sparkling with pride when she flipped the page. "And look! Akio thought that our photos turned out so well that we're now featured in a two page spread! A _two page_ spread! With a little paragraph about us being such ordinary girls with a fresh new take on fashion." She squealed uncharacteristically. "My family ordered an extra twenty copies!"

Tenten was speechless. It was so odd, seeing her and Sakura in a prestigious high fashion magazine. "I look… so… so perfect. They must have edited my photos a lot."

"Oh please, you just don't know how gorgeous you naturally are." She looked at Neji expectantly. "Do you like the cover?"

The prodigy nodded slightly but in actuality, he was mesmerised by the beauty of Tenten. The brunette was right; the photo was obviously edited but there was no mistaking that the serene, yet pained expression in Tenten's eyes was real. A photo editing software simply couldn't create a look like that. Also, the theme of the book was cliché—there was no doubt about that—but something about the cover was so sickeningly beautiful Neji found it difficult to tear his eyes away.

"I almost forgot," Sakura said suddenly. "You guys are taking Amaya out today, right?"

"How did you know?"

"Tsunade-sama told me. She also wanted me to give you a bag full of necessities, just in case something happens today. You mind getting it, Tenten? It's in my office, which is just down the hall. Ino should be in there—she'll open the door." Seeing that Neji was following Tenten out, Sakura added, "Neji-san? I need to talk to you privately."

When Tenten left the locker room, Sakura turned to Neji with serious eyes, all traces of her earlier excitement gone. "Tsunade-sama wants to send you and Lee-kun to the lightning country."

"I've heard about that."

"She's hoping that Akira will somehow be nicer to you guys, since you guys were once her teammates and all. She thinks that you guys can get the cure."

Neji's voice was cold. "She was the one who chose to leave us."

"I know, but—"

"She didn't want to be with us anymore. If anything, she'll treat me and Lee with more hostility."

"That's what I told Tsunade-sama, but she doesn't know who else to send. She's in a sticky situation because the strongest need to be here, guarding the country, and the other teams have been defeated. Even Naruto couldn't beat Akira."

"Akira is much stronger than she used to be."

"I know. She singlehandedly defeated Naruto's squad. Naruto… you know how he is. He drew out his demon's chakra and everything, but she still managed to fight him and his teammates off. Naruto ended up all right, but that's because the Kyuubi protected him. Shikamaru, on the other hand, was in critical condition and Chouji was put into a coma."

"Perhaps an experienced Jounin would've helped."

"Maybe, but currently, Gai-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, Kurenai-sensei… they all need to be in Konoha. They're not going anywhere."

"Lee and I cannot go alone."

"I know, that's why she wants to add Sasuke-kun, to make a three man team."

"We need four people. That's the standard team."

"Yes, that's why she's been considering me or Ino, since we are medically trained and can heal you on the spot. However, that's not possible. We can't go because we're required to work at the hospital. Volunteers are no longer needed, but there are still many patients to treat. So Tsunade-sama's thinking about Hinata, but she doubts you guys need another Byakuugan user."

"You're thinking about Tenten." It was a flat statement.

"Yes," Sakura admitted. "She's the only option left, really, unless you want to work with twelve year old graduates from the academy. Do you think she's ready?"

"No," Neji replied honestly. "She hasn't been trained professionally. She cannot take on an A-ranked mission. She hasn't worked with Lee or Sasuke, either, so she's unfamiliar with their techniques. She's unfamiliar with any kind of procedure—"

"But do you think she's capable? There's a difference."

Neji didn't reply.

"If she were to go along with you guys, will she be a hindrance?"

"Perhaps."

Sakura gave him a look. "I remember that she beat you once."

"I was tired and out of chakra," Neji muttered. "But I suppose she would be of some help. She could probably take down a guard or two."

"Great! That's all I needed to hear." She smiled slightly. "And I saw the way you looked at that magazine. You think she's beautiful, don't you?"

Neji immediately frowned. "Don't make such false and ridiculous accusations."

"It's not an accusation if it's true." She recognised that infamous scowl of his but she couldn't help but chuckle. "It's crazy, seeing me and Tenten—ordinary ninjas—on the cover of such a high fashion magazine. But it turned out quite nice, didn't it? Oh, look at this pretty one, with just Tenten staring into the camera. Isn't she cute?"

"And it's printed on perforated paper, too," she added slyly when he didn't reply. She neatly ripped off the page. "Now it's like a nice picture, perfect for framing." She placed it on a table and gave it a light pat. "I'll put it here, and if you want it, you can take it."

Then she left, because her break was supposedly over but Neji knew Sakura had mischievous underlying intentions. It was unnerving to know that so many people continuously implied the same thing when he clearly did not like Tenten. Was it so difficult to understand that she was simply a companion he didn't mind being around? It seemed like people nowadays had nothing to do so they made something out of nothing. It was preposterous, and ludicrous, and just utterly outrageous.

Neji then took the picture of Tenten and slipped it into his pocket.

* * *

"I can't wait to see the look on Amaya's face when she sees you," Tenten said once Neji met up with her.

"She doesn't know that I'm coming?"

"She doesn't know that I'm coming either. After I asked Tsunade-sama, I never got the chance to tell her that I'm granting her second wish." Tenten grinned and clapped excitedly. "And on top of it all, you're coming!"

"I'm not going to be entertaining."

"It's okay, she loves you the way you are." She glanced at the prodigy, who was carrying a large bag full of extra clothes, water, medicine and first aid kits. "Are you sure that that's not too heavy? We could've split the load into two bags."

"It isn't heavy."

It didn't seem like a challenge for Neji, so she left it at that and headed for the kid's playroom. Amaya wasn't there and was instead in her room. That usually meant that she wasn't healthy enough to play with the other kids, but Tenten tried to not let that bother her. "Amaya! How are you feeling today?"

The little girl was slightly pale, but her grin was still bright as she jumped off the bed to hug the older girl. "I'm good!" she exclaimed happily, jumping up and down. "What's my surprise, Tenten-nee-chan? What's my surprise?"

"What?"

"Sakura-nee-chan said that you have a surprise for me!"

Tenten laughed. "Did she tell you what it was?"

"Nope, but I really really want to know!"

"Guess."

"Is… is it Neji-nii-chan?" Amaya peered excitedly at Neji, who looked down at her with an unreadable expression. He wasn't exactly beaming but he wasn't being cold, either.

"He's a small part of it," Tenten replied, chuckling. "One more guess!"

Suddenly, Sakura's head popped into the room. "Why are you guys still here? I thought you were taking her out."

Before Tenten could laugh at Sakura's uncanny ability to ruin a surprise, Amaya squealed loudly, and for a moment she no longer looked like a frail eight year old fated to die. "You're taking me out? Thank you, Tenten-nee-chan! I've been stuck here for so long!"

The first place Amaya suggested was the aquarium. Tenten, who had never been to an aquarium before, happily complied and dragged along the prodigy. Well, she couldn't exactly say drag, because Neji was obedient enough. He didn't say or do much, but it was better than him trying to escape.

There was actually a lot of people at the aquarium. Many were foreigners that undoubtedly came from a tour bus of some sort, and there were lots of families. There was a show going on, but Tenten struggled to find a good spot in the crowd. Although she was taller than most girls her age, she could barely see past the men that stood in front of her. She only frowned when she saw another crowd of tourists burst through the doors. Not that she minded them at all—she just wanted this day to be perfect with Amaya. If Tenten could barely see, what was the chance of a little kid seeing anything?

She picked up the little blonde, awkwardly trying to find a comfortable position that would let the both of them see. It was impossible, though, considering that people behind her began to complain and Amaya was going to kick the people in front of her. Tenten looked at Neji helplessly.

Without a word, he took Amaya from Tenten, carried her into his right arm and somehow found a good spot near the sidelines. How he managed to find the perfect spot and position so effortlessly, Tenten didn't know. But she was grateful because Amaya's face was glowing with delight and now they were all able to see.

"Welcome all to the annual anniversary of _Suizokukan_! It is the largest aquarium in all of the Fire country," the announcer exclaimed in his booming voice. "Here, we have the widest variety of marine animals—from fish to sharks, you name it. Here I will show you perhaps one of the most endearing animal species—"

At that instant, the black curtains draping over the tank were gone, revealing a group of penguins. Amaya's eyes widened with excitement and she cooed and giggled when a plump penguin slipped on the ice and spun on its stomach.

When the show ended, they moved on to other shows, where dolphins did tricks and seals bounced balls. They also saw blowfish and eels and giant catfish that frankly scared Amaya so much she yelped when it pressed its face against the glass.

"It's so scary!" Amaya exclaimed, pouting. She pointed her stubby finger against the glass. "He's not going to have any friends if he keeps doing that!"

"Perhaps he likes you," Neji murmured.

"Really?" Amaya looked a little closer. "Well, I think he looks a little cute."

Tenten smiled. "See? He's not that scary anymore."

"You're right, nee-chan, he isn't scary." After a pause, the little blonde added, "I think everybody is cute in their own way, even if they seem scary at first." She secretly glanced at Neji and Tenten and then giggled to herself.

"Shall we go?"

"Okay, Neji-kun!"

Tenten happily followed the prodigy, who had consistently been carrying Amaya like she was his own daughter. It looked almost normal, almost right—Neji looked like a protective father, carrying a large bag in one arm and his daughter in the other. And Tenten? Well, she didn't dare to think that she was anything else other than a babysitter.

They then went to a park because Amaya wanted some fresh air—they all did, especially after spending a few hours being surrounded by hundreds of people. They passed by an ice cream truck on the way. Before Amaya could even ask, Tenten skipped to the ice cream truck and asked for three cones.

"What would you guys like?"

"Chocolate please," Amaya replied with a toothy grin to the cashier. "With rainbow sprinkles too!"

The guy chuckled. "Gotcha, kiddo. And you?"

"I'll have a vanilla cone," Tenten answered politely. She turned to Neji. "What do you want?"

The prodigy shrugged. "I don't eat ice cream."

"Treat yourself for once."

"Who eats ice cream in the winter?"

Rolling her eyes, Tenten told the cashier, "he wants chocolate."

"Coming right up."

"Chocolate is the best flavour in the world!" Amaya exclaimed a little while after, licking her ice cream. They were currently walking around the park, trying to find an empty bench to sit on. Despite the fact that it was winter and the park was covered in snow, there were lots of families and couples. Kids were running about, fully equipped with their hats, mittens and boots. No wonder the ice cream truck decided to pass by, Tenten realised; there were lots of potential customers.

"Vanilla is really good too," Tenten said in response to Amaya's statement. "And it looks like we're not the only ones eating ice cream in the winter."

"Nee-chan, I think we should enjoy ice cream all year long!"

"I totally agree."

"I also think that—" Amaya suddenly stopped. "Look, Tenten-nee-chan, there's an empty spot there!"

They sat on the bench Amaya spotted even though it was covered in ice. Tenten made sure to take out an extra shirt from their bag of necessities and covered the seat before the little blonde sat on it. All three of them watched as the other kids screamed and ran about.

"They're so lucky," Amaya commented wistfully. "They can play whenever they want."

"You can too," Tenten said gently.

"That's not true. I'm always in the hospital."

"You're not there now."

"That's because Tsunade-sama said it was okay to take me out for one day," she countered dully. "You still have to take care of me because I'm sick."

Tenten had nothing to say to that, so she looked away and pretended to be engrossed in her ice cream.

"Please don't think that I'm unhappy, nee-chan," said Amaya suddenly. She smiled brightly. "I'm very happy to spend a whole day with my nee-chan and Neji-kun!"

The brunette smiled softly. "You're a good kid, you know that?"

Neji abruptly stood up, threw away the tissue that came with his ice cream cone and stood in front of Amaya. "Have you ever made a snowman before?"

Amaya shook her head. "Nope."

"You want to make one now?"

The eight year old sprang up. "Yeah!"

Just then, an elderly couple walked past them, eyeing their now empty bench. "Young ones, may we sit here?"

"Of course! We were just leaving." Tenten noticed that they both struggled to carry their bags full of what she assumed to be groceries. "Here," she said, offering her hand, "I'll get that for you."

"My, what a nice young girl," the old lady said, smiling graciously. "See, Izanagi? There are still good people out there."

"The young generation is corrupted," Izanagi insisted stubbornly.

"Don't mind him. He's just a grumpy geezer," the old lady continued. "And oh—your daughter! What's your name?"

Before Tenten could correct the elderly lady, Amaya exclaimed proudly, "I'm Amaya!"

"Well, Amaya, aren't you just precious?"

"Thanks!"

"You are the cutest little thing ever. And I can tell that you will grow up to be just as pretty and kind as your mother."

Tenten laughed uncertainly. "Uh, you see, I'm not actually—"

"Amaya does take a lot after Tenten," Neji said unexpectedly, his eyes amused. He only smirked when Tenten turned to gape at him.

"You're right. And she has your nose."

"And my eyes," the prodigy added with a mysterious voice.

"She does have your light eyes—oh my, what a lovely family," the elderly woman cooed. "I certainly approve. Don't you, Izanagi?"

"Young people these days," he simply muttered. "What ever happened to abstinence?"

Tenten turned slightly red, and with an embarrassed laugh, bid the elderly couple farewell. "What was that about?" she asked once they were out of earshot distance.

"Naruto said that joking is fun."

"Since when did you start listening to Naruto?" Tenten's voice rang with incredulity. "And that's not joking—you were fooling old people. And they were so nice!"

"And gullible."

Tenten slapped his arm, but Neji wasn't the slightest bit fazed. "Yeah Neji, way to set a bad example for Amaya—I mean, seriously! Out of all the things that you can do."

"I thought it was funny," Amaya piped, her eyes twinkling.

"Being a Hyuuga's wife is very honourable," Neji stated, shoving his hands into his pockets. Tenten didn't know what he meant by that statement, but she detected something underlying and couldn't help but fluster.

"Well, you know what? You shouldn't—oh—oh just forget it," she mumbled as Amaya began to giggle. The corners of Neji's mouth twitched. Even Tenten couldn't help but smile; there was something about these two people that made her especially happy.

"Can I go make a snowman with the other kids?" Amaya suddenly asked. "You guys don't have to join if you don't want to."

"Go ahead," Tenten said. "Neji and I will just walk around. We don't have gloves anyway."

"Okay!"

"You're worried about Amaya," Neji stated shortly after Amaya ran off. The eight year old had already bonded with some of the other kids and now they were working together to make a big snowman. Currently, she was gathering branches for its arms.

"Aren't you?" Tenten countered immediately.

"She's not weak."

"She is physically. She has both brain tumours and this weird disease—and on top of that, her immune system is abnormally weak. She's normally in the hospital, monitored by professional doctors… and now, she's out in the freezing cold playing with germy kids. Any moment, she might collapse from fatigue, or catch a cold, or start coughing up blood again…"

"Then why did you bring her out?"

"Because… Because she wanted to?" Tenten sighed. "I know, I'm being a hypocrite. I allowed myself to put her in danger and now I'm worrying about her health. It's just that she's always being cooped up inside the hospital… and I wanted to grant her second wish… and… well, doesn't everybody deserve a breath of fresh air?"

"Then don't regret your decision."

"I don't. I'm just worried."

"Go with Amaya. You should make a snowman if you haven't made one before," Neji suddenly said.

Tenten laughed. "You remember me saying that?"

"I don't forget things easily."

"Well, I don't know. I'm a little old for that, aren't I?"

"Excuse."

"I'll go if you go."

"I don't have gloves."

"Excuse," Tenten imitated with a laugh. "You're Hyuuga Neji! You love being in the cold."

"For training purposes only," Neji corrected. "It trains the body to become immune to the cold."

"You can't really become immune to the cold."

"You can if you've been training all your life."

At this point, they were now back at where they first entered; they had made a complete turn around the park. Amaya was still there with her newly made friends. The little blonde spotted the two and waved her arms frantically. "Neji-kun! Tenten-nee-chan! Look at my snowman!"

She was out of breath when the two teenagers approached her. "Look at what me and my friends made! It's so big!"

In actuality, it didn't even reach Tenten's shoulder but it did tower over the little kids' heads. "Well done you guys!" Tenten exclaimed with a smile. "It looks just like the ones in the movies. Where did you guys find the carrot?"

"My lunchbox!" A lanky kid, who had a big gap in his teeth, beamed. "My mom knew I was going to make a snowman today, so she packed a raw carrot!"

"That's great! And whose scarf is that?"

"Mine!" Amaya cried happily, falling backwards to sit on the snow. "I already have a thick sweater underneath, so I gave my scarf to the snowman!"

"You're really out of breath, Amaya. Are you okay?"

"Yeah! I'm just really tired."

"We all are," the lanky kid added. "We ran around looking for branches and rocks and everything. But—"

Just then, Amaya's eyes rolled to the back of her head and she collapsed. Everything else spiralled downwards afterwards. The surrounding kids began to scream and yell, the nearby children who were even younger began to cry, families began to surround Amaya with wide eyes, but Tenten's frantic cries seemed to be the most piercing of them all. "Neji! What—we—I can't feel her pulse! Neji—we have to get her to the hospital—_now_!"

* * *

"You shouldn't stay here," Sakura said, using her professional business tone. Her eyes were rather cold. "Amaya's not going to wake up any time soon."

"Sakura," Tenten cried, "I have to know if Amaya's going to be alright. What's going on?"

"She overexerted herself and now she's unconscious."

"What are you going to do now? Is she going to undergo surgery?"

Sakura let out a harsh laugh. "And do what? The best we can do is just let her rest and see what happens. Look, Tenten. I know that you're attached to her and all, but Amaya's going to die. She's too weak to undergo any kind of surgical procedure and we don't have enough funds to do so anyways. She is going to die. If not tonight, then probably in a few days. I'm surprised she's even lasted this long."

"That's it then? You're just going to give up? You're just going to put her in a room and hook her up to a few tubes?"

"I'll let you know when she wakes up, okay?"

"Can't I just stay here?"

"You have to know when to let go." The pink-haired kunoichi sighed softly. "And honestly, Tenten. She's beyond exhausted. Even in the hospital she has to stay in her room and be monitored. You let her run around in the cold?"

"I didn't know—look, I'm sorry, that was a lack of judgment on my part. But is there anything that I can—"

Sakura readjusted her face mask. "You've done enough." Without another word, she turned around and disappeared into another room.

"Haruno's tired," Neji commented for the first time since they had arrived at the hospital. He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "To her, Amaya is just another patient."

Moments passed with the two standing outside Amaya's room. Inside, the little blonde looked as pale as ever and her chest barely rose every time she breathed. There were various tubes and wires that wrapped around her body to ensure that she would stay alive. Just moments ago, she was still grinning as if the world couldn't get any better. Moments ago, she was happily playing in the snow, almost blending in with all the other kids. Moments ago, she was still alive.

Now, Amaya was essentially a lifeless doll. Without her bright blue eyes and her warm sunny smile, she was noticeably thinner and frailer. And if Sakura's predictions were right, then in a few days…

Tenten's hands balled into fists. There was nothing quite as unnerving as knowing that if Amaya had stayed in the hospital, she wouldn't be like this now.

"It's all my fault," Tenten whispered, knowing that if she spoke any louder her voice would completely break. "I knew something like this would happen—we all did, but I didn't listen. Tsunade-sama didn't allow me at first, and she gave us a whole bag of necessities, and I knew she was sick, and she was weak, and she's so frail—"

Her vision blurred and she could feel the pent-up tears finally falling freely. She immediately looked down. She needed her hair to cover her eyes—she didn't want to cry in front of Neji again. How many times had she broken down in front of him? He probably thought she was weak and pathetic. Which she was, in many ways. She was always so stubborn and she could never do anything right. What good did playing fairy godmother do?

Tenten heard Neji taking steps towards her. "I know, Neji. You don't have to say anything," she said, almost half chuckling. "I'm crying again, I know I'm being weak—"

"Don't show your emotions. Do not crack under pressure," he said quietly. "To any ninja, that is the most fundamental rule. But… perhaps that isn't always the case."

Before Tenten could process his words, she felt Neji's arms around her. She suddenly stopped breathing altogether. It was the strangest sensation, feeling her forehead against his neck, but she knew she needed his support, even though she would never admit it. She was independent and strong, she wanted to say, but she didn't want to—no, she couldn't pull herself away.

"Am I wrong?" she finally murmured into his shirt. "At first, bringing Amaya outside seemed like the greatest idea in the world. And now… she might never—"

"You're not wrong," Neji replied, his grip on her tightening. "Amaya was weak to start with. She's not in this state because of you."

"I know, but I'm so… so stupid! I keep thinking that this disease will just magically disappear…"

"People come and go."

"It's not fair."

"Is life ever fair?"

"She's eight!" Tenten exclaimed in frustration. Her face was still buried into his shirt but she didn't care. "Am I the only one that sees something wrong with this? Neji, she's not supposed to be all wired up and trapped in the hospital. It's not natural! It's… it's…"

"You can't help it. It's not your fault."

"I hate being useless," she said quietly. "I can never do anything right. God, I am so stupid!"

"Don't say that," Neji whispered fiercely. "Not everybody would pay attention to a dying orphan. You went out of your way to make her happy."

Tenten stayed silent for a long while. She couldn't really fathom what was happening, or why Neji's arms were around her, or why his words were so oddly comforting. She didn't really care, though. She took in a shaky breath, willed herself to stop crying, and managed a small smile. "Thank you."

His arms dropped to his sides again. "I don't like seeing you cry."

If it weren't for Amaya's current predicament, Tenten would've laughed at Neji's sudden sensitivity. "Since when?"

"Since I made you cry."

Normally that memory would've hit a sore spot, but Tenten could barely recall the hatred she had felt for him. "That was a long time ago."

"Was it?" Neji stopped his trail of thoughts and gestured towards the exit. "Shall we go?"

"But Amaya's still unconscious."

"Visiting hours are over. We shouldn't be here whether she's awake or not."

"I need to know if she's going to be alright."

"Haruno said she would inform us when Amaya wakes up."

Neji gave her a knowing look and Tenten sighed; there was no use in arguing with someone that was far more rational and logical than she was. It was irritating, almost. Neji would always be right and she would always be wrong. However, she realised as they were walking back home, she liked that about him. He had always struck her as a mature and cynical adult-like teen, but at the same time he possessed all kinds of knowledge. This wasn't the first time he had helped her. It was like she was this reckless, impulsive, naïve child and he was her voice of reason, the one person that would keep her feet on the ground.

She snuck at a quick glance at the prodigy, secretly wondering if he could hear her thoughts.

"What are you thinking about?" Neji asked without turning his head. His eyes were still cast up ahead.

"You're really creepy like that."

Neji's lips curved into a slight smirk.

-

-

-

-

**A/N:** This is the last chapter written by the fifteen year old me. It's pretty short in comparison to the others, but I wrote most of it tonight so I still deserve a pat on the back. (The random typos/missing words will be fixed in the future.)

I'm turning sixteen! :) You know what's weird though? I've always thought of "sixteen" as a big milestone. I've always thought that once I'm sixteen, I would be sure of what I want in life.

What a wrong assumption that was, haha.

Thanks for reading! Expect a chapter in the next… three to four months? Haha, kidding. I'll try to update a little more often. :)

Lots of love,  
Chigiri Sasaki


	24. Chapter Twenty Four: Happiness

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything of Naruto.

**Destined to Love  
**_By: Chigiri Sasaki_

Summary: He was a prodigy, with a damaged past and no future. She was a commoner, with a hidden secret. Strung together by fate, it was only a matter of time before she changed his life forever. [AU, NejiTen]

**Chapter Twenty Four**

Tenten's eyes fluttered open to bright sunlight the next morning. She immediately sprang awake, fearing she had slept in, but then remembered she had another day off from the hospital and fell back onto the mattress. She sighed in content. It felt nice, waking up to a nice and sunny room for once.

She hummed a soft tune going into the her favourite kitchen. A delicious aroma of freshly baked bread filled her senses and her lips curled into a smile.

"Would you like some bread, Tenten-sama?"

"Yes, please! Thank you very much, Akiko-san."

Akiko was the maid that worked in this particular room; the fresh warm bread she made every morning was partially why Tenten loved this kitchen so much. She happily gobbled down her bread, thankful that no one else was here to see her eating like a pig. The Hyuugas, being a ridiculously wealthy clan, had a lot of members and therefore had several kitchens. There was a main one to serve the guests in the main dining room, and smaller ones that were located in every wing of the Hyuuga estate. Thankfully, not many members regularly came to this particular room.

"I'd like to have some too."

Tenten nearly spat out her food at the silky voice. She could only watch Hyuuga Hiro like a helpless idiot as he took the seat next to her. He quietly ate his own food and didn't look at her once.

"Would you like some tea with that, Hiro-sama?"

"Yes."

"And you, Tenten-sama?"

"Sure. Thank you."

Then there was an awkward silence. Other than Akiko, she and Hiro were the only ones in the room. He was acting strange, almost like as if he was one of the Elders and was secretly hating her on the inside. It was like he couldn't even see her—it was either that or he was ignoring her. What did she ever do to him? And it didn't help that Akiko, who usually asked pointless but polite questions, decided to keep her mouth shut.

"Good morning to you too," Tenten finally said, sarcasm lacing her words.

He glanced at her for a moment. "Good morning."

"You have a day off too?"

"Yes."

"Is… something wrong?"

"No."

One word answers weren't exactly easy to respond to so Tenten looked back down at her bread, munching quietly. She downed her last cup of tea and looked up. "Well, thank you, Akiko. That was delicious." She directed her attention towards Hiro, who stood up as well. "See you later, Hiro."

"Sure."

She began walking back to her room, and Hiro conveniently began strolling behind her, matching her steps with his. He was very close to her, she could tell—she could literally feel his breath on the back of her neck. She stopped suddenly and turned around, nearly colliding into his chest. "What are you doing?"

His eyes were rather frightening, being such a dark, hollow shade. It didn't quite suit the soft sunlight that lit up the hallway. "I'm walking back to my room."

"Why are you acting so strange?"

"I don't think anything is peculiar about me today."

"You know what, Hiro? I don't know what to say anymore. First, you come to me, all flirtatious and light-hearted and polite. Then you're all drunk—"

"I wasn't drunk."

"Yeah, well, at least you were talking normally. And now you're all quiet and it's like you're ignoring me. What's going on?"

His eyes were sombre. "Why do you even care?"

"Because it's normal to care about the people around you," Tenten replied with a sigh of exasperation. "I'm not trying to ask for anything in return, if that's what you're thinking. All I'm saying is that I'm concerned. It's pretty obvious that something's wrong when you don't have your whole suave thing going on."

The corners of his mouth twitched, but a frown quickly marred the straight line of his lips. "It's not like I can change anything."

"Well, then, I should—"

He suddenly grabbed her in an iron grip and drew her near. "What I said the other night," he murmured into her ear, so low and husky she could barely hear him. "It was a mistake. I wasn't thinking straight. Forget what I said, especially if the Hyuugas ask."

"What?"

He didn't say anything, but his arm around hers did not move.

"Hiro, let go," Tenten said stiffly. She couldn't help but feel that someone was going to catch them in an awkward position—Neji had an uncanny knack for that. "Do you want to talk? Cause I don't know what's bothering you."

Hiro let out a throaty chuckle. "Nothing should be bothering me."

"Well, something is."

"Never mind. I'm not bothered." He removed his arm and turned around. "Forget it."

"No, I won't. You're clearly bothered—"

"I'm really not," he countered, his voice beginning to rise.

"Is something wrong?"

"You're so naïve it's almost cute," he said. She could hear the forced smile in his voice. "Of course something's wrong!"

"Then tell me!"

"I've always known that this would happen… It's a Hyuuga tradition."

"What Hyuuga tradition?"

"I can't seem to accept it, no matter what."

"Accept what?!"

"My goddamn _marriage_, that's what!" He swerved around and slammed both hands against the wall, surrounding the brunette and stared at her with wild, infuriated eyes. He was breathing hard. "I'm fucking engaged."

"What?" Her words came out slowly. "You're… engaged?"

It suddenly clicked in Tenten's head. Of course—all Hyuugas were to engage at the age of sixteen and then marry at the age of eighteen. It was one of the many Hyuuga traditions. It was the reason as to why Mikya and Leiko were sent here. It was the reason as to why Hinata snuck out to see Naruto. Then… then why did Hiro give her that necklace? Why did he ask her to the dance? Realisation dawned upon her and she looked away uncomfortably.

"Step away from me," she said finally, slowly. "You have a fiancée."

Hiro silently did as he was told. "Of course."

"Why…?" She bit her lip. "Why did you ask me to the dance? What were you thinking?"

"I wasn't," he replied earnestly, and there was a distinctive hint of sadness. "At first, I didn't dare to approach you because I was engaged. The Elders were also watching you. I couldn't risk getting caught."

"And what about now? You're not scared anymore?"

"There's no one here." He took a step forward; Tenten took a step backwards in retaliation. "I never loved her, if that accounts for anything."

"And you love me?" The brunette shook her head. "You don't even know me."

"Perhaps that's true, but something about you still draws me in. It makes me forget about the clan's traditions… you're different. You're free. You aren't assigned by the clan, you're not bound by anything. You're alive, and you're optimistic—"

"Stop. I don't want to hear it."

Hiro half smiled. "Would you have accepted me if the circumstances were different?"

"It doesn't matter, because if the circumstances were different then we would be different people."

"True, but nothing would stop me then."

"I can't believe you used me," Tenten enunciated stiffly.

"I never asked for the engagement. I couldn't do anything about it either. Besides, I thought you knew."

"Well, I vaguely knew that there was such a tradition but it never occurred to me that you were engaged. How could it? The way you were talking, the present you gave me… you being engaged was the last thing on my mind."

Hiro raised an eyebrow. "No one ever told you?"

"Who would?"

"Neji." Seeing her shake her head, Hiro chuckled. "What ever happened to the little heartless boy? He despises me, and even if he didn't, he would still tell you and the Elders because it's the right thing to do. He never mentioned anything, even when he saw me talking to you?"

"No, he didn't." But now that she thought about it, he did get unusually angry.

"That's rather hard to believe. So he let me approach you even though he knew that you were oblivious… Never thought he was that considerate." He smirked slightly. "He's changed."

"Neji is not heartless," Tenten instantly responded with a strange fierceness. "I don't think he ever was. Sure, he's cold and mean and he's brutal with his words, but he has his redeeming qualities as well. Despite his cold demeanour, he's actually caring on the inside. He works very hard, he's always logical and reasonable no matter what the situation, he never breaks his word… and most importantly, he's honest. He would never lie to anybody."

Hiro audibly smirked.

"What are you smiling about?"

"You like him, don't you?"

Tenten opened her mouth and shut it again. "Does it even matter?"

"You're right. Why would it?" He smiled crookedly. "He's getting engaged as well."

In a small voice, she replied, "I know."

"If Mikya hadn't turned out to be an imposter, he would be engaged at this moment."

His sharp tone silenced her at once. "Your efforts are futile, Tenten. Your presence here has given us all a breath of fresh air but in the end, nothing will be changed. You can change Neji as a person—which is, by the way, very admirable, but that's about as far as you can go. When you leave, it'll be like you were never here."

"You don't have to tell me that. I already know."

"So why are you staying here?"

"I have nowhere else to go." She tried to shrug casually. "I'm not sure about anything anymore… who knows where I'll be in a few years? I'm just trying to get by each day. Is that so wrong?"

"No."

"So, until the day you guys kick me out, I'll be sticking around."

"Don't tell me you want to stay because of Neji." Hiro's voice grew softer, and he gazed at her with an unexplainable expression. "You'll only get hurt."

"Who says I even like him?"

"Who said that?"

"You did."

"Right."

"Don't act like you didn't."

Hiro smiled slightly. "Always sharp-tongued, Tenten. Well, I suppose you do have things to do."

"Of course," she said. "I'm sure you do too."

"Yes. I will be going now. And I apologise."

"For what?"

"For causing you discomfort."

"It's alright, I think. But wait, Hiro!" The kunoichi shyly looked down when the Hyuuga gave her his full attention. "Are Neji and Leiko already…?"

"Engaged? No, Hiashi-sama is still holding the engagement off—and he can, since the greatest Elder has fallen ill." He cocked his head sideways. "I wonder why."

"Why can't he do the same thing for you? Why can't he just call off your marriage?"

"Because I'm already engaged. It's been over a year. I can't dishonour the clan by calling it off." He half-smiled. "Besides, I don't have anyone to marry. Even if I'm somehow able to escape, I'll probably end up dying alone."

"That's not true. If you were single and looking, a lot of girls would fall for you. Theoretically, that is," she added after Hiro elevated an eyebrow. "You know, it's very possible that you and your fiancée will grow to love each other very much."

"It's been over a year," he stated dully. He sighed and swerved around. "Sorry I ever bothered you, Tenten."

"You really didn't," she protested half-heartedly, trailing off. What else could she possibly say? "The necklace that you got me," she started again, pausing to coin a somewhat coherent sentence. "I know it cost a lot… and… do you want it back?"

"Nah," he replied easily over his shoulder. "I gave it to you because it suited you the best."

The brunette smiled tightly as she watched the retreating figure. She truly did think of Hiro as a friend, even if he did come on a little too strong at times. However, he was still a human being with a soul and deserved happiness. What could she do, though? Hiro was right. She couldn't do anything even if she tried. She was just a commoner. And ordinary, poor commoner that was powerless to do anything.

* * *

The next three days passed by uneventfully. Tenten would never see Neji anymore; he was usually gone every morning and wouldn't be back until late at night. Hiro seemed to have disappeared completely—either that or he was avoiding her. Hinata's secret relationship with Naruto was entertaining, but the shy heiress wasn't around to tell her stories. Hiashi, Hanabi, Leiko… no one was around. They either had meetings, or shopping trips, or volunteering, or training.

The hospital had no place for her either. Volunteers were no longer needed, so she was jobless and her friends were constantly working. It also didn't help that Amaya was still unconscious. She still hadn't woken up ever since she had collapsed the other day at the park.

"She's alive," Sakura had confirmed through the phone, yet there was a hint of uncertainty in her voice. "She's terribly weak, but there's a faint pulse."

"When will she wake up?"

The pink-haired kunoichi didn't reply after that.

So now Tenten was wandering around town because she had nothing else to do. She had been walking for hours; she had convinced herself that something would eventually pique her interest. There were countless stands, selling everything from jewellery to meatballs. There were particularly a lot of weapons that had caught her eye but she passed them all without another glance. What was she possibly looking for?

She sighed, shoving her hands into her pockets. It was getting late; the days were considerably shorter in the winter. It was dark and cold and her shoes were wet from walking on the melted snow. She hated the feeling of winter, she thought suddenly, and then paused. Wait, that wasn't quite right. She loved the snow—even Neji knew. So why would she think something like that?

"_I hate the feeling of winter. There's never enough sun and it's wet… look at my shoes! __They're muddy and gross. Mommy will start screaming at me again." _

The thought was so foreign it made Tenten halt completely in the middle of the streets. She was positive she had heard it from somewhere. Someone familiar once said that to her… yet she couldn't quite figure out who. However, she could faintly remember the feeling associated with that night. It, too, was a cold winter night, and she had been longing for the warm sunlight.

"_Girls, get in now and dry yourselves. We have special guests tonight…"_

Another voice.

Tenten felt a sharp pain in her head and she crouched over, trying to stop the pounding inside her head. She barely noticed the townspeople that glanced briefly at her and instead tried to gather her thoughts. Who did these voices belong to? They were family, she could tell. Then why couldn't she recall their faces? Why was it so damn hard to remember?

She instinctively punched the ground, cursing. She hated this blank feeling—this blank hole in her memory. It seemed like no matter how hard she tried to focus, the memories would not come back.

She sat on a nearby bench and took in deep breaths in an attempt to alleviate the pain. She wanted to cry from the pain but she was honestly more angry and frustrated than anything else. She hated not knowing who the hell she was. Why were the memories so vague and misleading?

"Tenten? Tenten! Oh my gosh, are you okay?"

It was Leiko, Tenten realised without looking up. She greeted the violet-haired beauty with a slight nod. "Hey."

"What are you doing here all by yourself? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," the brunette answered, willing herself to ignore the pounding. "I… was just walking around. Shopping."

"But… all that shops are closed."

"I know," replied the brunette with a slight laugh. "I just sat here for a little bit. I guess I lost track of time."

"I know what you mean… sometimes it's nice to just sit there and think."

"Yeah." The headache finally subsided after a while, and Tenten managed to muster a smile. "So hey, why are you here?"

"No reason. I'm just walking around. You know, I have nothing else to do," Leiko ended with a laugh, yet nervousness was evident in her tone. Under Tenten's suspicious gaze, she exhaled sharply and looked away uncomfortably. "Let's head back."

"The other day…"

There was no point in feigning a mask of innocence anymore, so Leiko let out an audible scowl. "That letter was nothing," she said, staring coldly at the brunette, squarely in the eye. "It didn't mean anything, so don't get the wrong idea and make something stupid out of it."

"I wasn't going to. I just… I don't know. It's obvious that you—"

"Nothing's obvious, okay? You don't know anything about me, Tenten. Please don't act like you do."

"I know that we barely know each other. I know that it's completely wrong that I'm butting into your business, but… shouldn't you say something? Anything?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"I don't know, but you're getting letters from this guy and clearly it has some kind of effect on you because you were crying. Why are you here if you already have someone?"

"Because I have to be here."

"No one has to do anything."

"Says you."

"It's your life, it's your heart."

"You're so naïve, Tenten. You would never understand."

"But this guy loves you—and you guys had a plan! You said that you would act like a terrible wife, and then Neji and the clan would reject you and then you guys would finally be together!"

"Don't use those letters against me," Leiko cried angrily. Her shoulders trembled as she spoke. "You don't know what I'm going through… I hate that you keep acting as if you're so forlorn and lost… when you have it so easy! I just can't leave Neji, alright? I just can't! My father gives me everything I want. My family has a precious name with a reputation that I have to keep. I just can't leave a member of a prestigious clan for an ordinary peasant!"

"Stop complaining as if you're the only one who has problems!" Tenten exclaimed hotly, feeling her hands balling into fists. "Don't think for a second that my life is any easier than yours. But you… you're just throwing away your own happiness. Why are you doing this to yourself? Why are you with Neji when you love someone else?"

Leiko's eyes were brimming with tears. "Would you just drop this? Tenten, please!"

The kunoichi's voice lowered. "I'm sorry."

"Look, I can't exactly blame you for voicing your own opinion," Leiko replied quietly, "but the Hyuuga clan is so important to my country. I can't disappoint my parents, my family… You don't know what it's like, having a whole family that is counting on you."

"You're right. I don't have a family."

"Wait… you don't…"

Tenten smiled forcibly. "I don't have a last name either."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that." Leiko's golden eyes were apologetic as they strolled along the sidewalk. The streetlamps made up for the lack of moonlight; the sky was surprisingly murky and cloudy. For a long while, neither of them spoke.

When they got back to the Hyuuga estate, it was almost eleven o'clock. Leiko immediately headed inside to clean up. Tenten instead decided to stay outside and roam around the gardens. The earthy scent of flowers and plants was surprisingly calming to the soul. She would often come here to think whenever she had visions, or when she simply wanted to think about her life and its hardships. Usually, she was the only one out at night, however, tonight she heard two voices. It sounded like they were having an intimate conversation, so the brunette stopped in her tracks and stood still.

"I never thought you were this… insightful," a female said. "It's so nice to see you open up like this."

"We are engaged, aren't we? I thought we might as well fix our relationship."

"Is this some kind of joke? You were acting so distant before."

"I was doing some soul searching. Now, I'm a new person."

That phrase must have been an inside joke or something, because the female laughed suddenly and soon after the male joined. Tenten thought the male voice was uncannily familiar, but didn't dare to peek from where she was standing.

"I'm glad. You're turning eighteen soon, and I want our marriage to be as perfect as possible."

"Of course, my dear."

There was a soft giggle. "I'm glad we're on the same page. We have to make the best out of everything, right?"

"You're right, as always."

She laughed, yet again. "You're such a womanizer, Hiro-kun."

Tenten gasped audibly before she could stop herself; even though she was already sort of positive it was him, she still found it shocking and scandalous. How could Hiro be so twofaced and deceitful? He was acting like nothing had ever happened, even though he had basically cheated on his fiancée. And how could his fiancée believe him so easily?

"Did you hear something?"

"No," Hiro replied easily, and Tenten exhaled slowly in relief. "Sumiko, would you like to go back inside? It's getting late."

"Sure." When she realised he wasn't following her, she frowned slightly. "Hiro-kun, you're not coming?"

"I'll be inside in a while. I want to stay outside for a little bit." At this moment, Tenten inwardly cursed and wondered if she could sneak out.

"Okay. Goodnight!"

The instant Sumiko was out of sight, Hiro's smile dropped and he looked down, his pools of ivory downcast. "Come out, Tenten. I know you're there."

Slowly, the brunette stepped out from where she hid behind the tree and smiled meekly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop. It's just that I usually come out here at night, and today I saw you guys and it was all intimate so I didn't want to interrupt—"

"I understand. I don't mind."

"You're not mad?"

"Why would I be?" When he turned to face her, his eyes were dark and hollow, holding one of the saddest expressions Tenten had ever seen. "There's no point. I've seen you come here a couple of times. I know it was accidental."

"Oh." She paused, awkwardly nodding her head. "So what's your fiancée's name?"

"Sumiko."

"She seems nice."

"She is."

Tenten couldn't help but frown. "So then why do you look so upset? Just moments ago, you were laughing."

"It's easy to look happy."

"How can you act happy?"

"It's nothing more than simple acting—like this." His expression instantly changed; his eyes were suddenly light and amused, and he smirked rather devilishly. "So Tenten, why were you following me? Are you, by any chance, jealous?" He approached her with his unwavering malicious smile, arms outstretched. "You know, we're all alone. And you look so lonely…"

For a moment, Tenten was more frightened than convinced. "Stop it."

Hiro did so, and his arms dropped to his side. "Sorry if that frightened you."

"No, what frightens me is how easily you can feign your emotions. How can anybody tell if you're actually happy?"

He shrugged. "Maybe if I pretend long enough, then I will be content."

"So you're just going to let yourself die on the inside?"

"If that's what it takes to make people happy, then so be it."

"What about your own happiness? Your words seem so hollow. If you don't like what you're doing, then just quit."

"I can't quit being a Hyuuga. Perhaps it's fate…"

Tenten could feel her hands rolling up into fists. "Why is everyone blaming their unhappiness on fate? Fate is always supposedly their cause of misery and despair, and no matter what happens, fate is the reason to blame. I'm so sick of hearing that!"

"That's because you aren't bound by the clan and its traditions."

"You're right. I'm not. Maybe I'm naïve and stupid, maybe I'll never understand the complexity and the severity of your clan and its punishments, but is it so wrong to have hope? It seems like everybody is giving up before the battle even begins—and that's because it's always easy to use fate as an excuse to justify giving up. You have to fight for what you believe in, even if it seems hopeless. Isn't that what you live for?"

"Are you calling me a coward?"

"Yes. Yes, maybe I am calling you a coward."

A strange surge of confidence and determination surfaced in his pools of ivory. "Then run away with me, Tenten. I won't be a coward anymore if I can escape."

He grabbed her hands in an iron grasp, and for a long while Tenten was paralysed under his hopeful gaze. Finally, she swallowed hard. "I'm not the right person, Hiro. I can't escape with you."

"Hypocrite." He instantly let her hands go and chuckled softly. "See? Now wasn't my act convincing?"

Yet even after he bid her farewell and disappeared into the Hyuuga mansion, Tenten couldn't shake off the image of his face when she rejected his offer. People like Hiro were good at feigning emotions, but she doubted anyone could replicate that mask of hurt.

* * *

The next morning, Tenten woke up extra early due to a bad dream. She only assumed it was a nightmare because she woke up with an unpleasant feeling. In truth, she couldn't recall what had happened. At this point, though, she didn't mind anymore. She would rather forget something unpleasant than leave it haunting her mind. Besides, there were enough things burdening her. She didn't need another terrible vision to deal with.

After she finished her daily morning routine, she headed out to the training grounds, where she knew she would find Neji. He always got up before the crack of dawn to train. It was somehow comforting to know that no matter what, he would always be there.

"Hey," she greeted when she was within earshot distance.

Neji stopped momentarily to acknowledge her presence with a slight nod. "You're up early."

"Couldn't sleep."

"Another nightmare?"

"I think. I can't exactly remember what happened."

The prodigy seemed to accept her answer. "Would you like to spar?"

Tenten raised an eyebrow. "You want me to train with you?"

"You don't have to."

"No, no, I'm just surprised." Tenten fingered her scrolls as she approached him. "So what are we training today? Taijutsu? Aiming?"

"Freestyle," was his short reply. "Pretend I'm an attacker—fight me."

"What?" Before she could finish asking her question he suddenly disappeared and she felt a quick gust of wind behind her. She spun around instantaneously to block his attacks but before she knew it, she felt a hard knee connect with her stomach. She instantly retaliated with a few back flips. "Whoa, easy there. What's with the hostility?"

"An attacker never shows mercy."

He disappeared again and this time, Tenten closed her eyes and willed herself to focus with her other senses. It was mostly silent; in the far distance, she could hear a few people calling out to each other and birds chirping. Other than that, however, it was quiet. She couldn't hear a single footstep or rustling of clothing in the training grounds. Where was Neji? Did he leave her or something? It was impossible that he was moving so silently—

"Never rely on your hearing alone," Neji whispered in her ear, and she was thrown across the field. She landed with a loud thud.

"Alright," Tenten said, patting the scratch on her chin. "I'll remember that."

She charged immediately at him, using extra boosts of chakra to increase her speed. She summoned two long swords in a flash and began attacking him mercilessly, even though she knew he had to defend with his bare hands. In a matter of seconds, Tenten made a few gashes in his right arm and his entire left sleeve had fallen off.

Seeing that the brunette was not intending to stop, Neji began summoning chakra from his body. "Kaiten!"

An immense amount of blue chakra began whirling around him even though his actual body wasn't spinning. Tenten predicted this move, and using chakra for enhancement, jumped into the air to avoid being repelled. She was moving swiftly and if Neji hadn't activated his Byakuugan, he wouldn't be able to see her actual figure twisting and turning. Tenten took out three scrolls at once with a confident grin. Then, she threw all of them into the air and yelled an incoherent incantation.

Neji's eyes narrowed. Why did that sound so familiar?

Yet he had no time to recall where he had heard that specific jutsu. Tenten was already coming down at him with incredible speed and with dozens of heavy weapons that were all attached by thin, invisible wires. The prodigy, instead of performing the Kaiten again, expelled a burst of chakra from his palm and thrust it towards the brunette. As a result, the weapons lost their momentum and fell to the ground. However, Tenten quickly picked them up all at once with her chakra-enhanced threads and directed them towards her opponent once again.

Neji then expelled chakra from his index and middle fingers, creating a needle. With the help of his Byakuugan, he was able to both dodge the weapons and cut through every one of Tenten's strings with uncanny accuracy. Tenten, witnessing this amazing phenomenon, completely forgot that she was in a middle of a battle and nearly clapped. "That was amazing, Neji!"

"Don't get distracted so easily," he replied simply, and reached over his back to pull out a bloody kunai.

Tenten audibly gasped; everything had happened so quickly she didn't even notice when something had actually struck him. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. This is nothing. Continue."

"Are you sure? The kunai went in pretty deep. We should stop," Tenten insisted. As she approached him, she couldn't help but notice that this had also happened the last time they sparred. When Neji performed the Kaiten, he would repel everything that was thrown at him. However, when he did it manually, he would miss the ones aimed towards his back. Was this a coincidence?

"I said to continue," he said harshly, throwing his kunai at her. She caught it deftly and took out a few more, putting them between each finger. She waited until he reappeared again.

When he did, she vaulted into the air and shot four weapons consecutively towards his back. To her surprise, he dodged three easily but didn't seem to see the fourth one coming. By the time he did it was too late; it struck his back, not very far from the previous wound.

"Neji!" Tenten cried when he toppled over. She ran over to him and pulled out the kunai; she winced when she saw the amount of blood gushing out. "Hey, you okay? Neji!" she exclaimed in desperation when he didn't respond. "Answer me, please!"

Tenten could feel her eyes burning as she ran back to the Hyuuga mansion. How could Neji be so stupid? She told him to stop, but he didn't and now he was—

"That's the oldest trick in the book," Neji suddenly murmured from behind. His arm immediately wrapped around her neck like a snake and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't break free from his grasp. "Tenten, focus!"

The brunette didn't want to hurt him; she didn't want to wound him anymore. So even though her vision was beginning to blacken, she managed to murmur the words to the substitution technique and her body disappeared with a 'poof'. "You didn't have to suffocate me," she said when she reappeared next to a tree. She was bent over, trying to catch her breath. "Honestly, Neji!"

"Like I said, your opponent will not show mercy." As he said this, he aimed five shuriken stars directly at her. Tenten somehow managed to deflect them all with five shuriken stars of her own.

"Then I won't either!" The brunette quickly got back to her feet and shot at least two dozen shuriken stars at Neji, who was running towards her. To Neji's great surprise, not a single one nicked his skin. Instead, they pinned him neatly to a nearby tree.

"You have good aim," he admitted from his position. "However, you are not ruthless enough."

"Oh please. I could kill you right now," Tenten said with a slight smile, casually twirling a kunai. "Now, will you explain to me why you're acting like this? Is this supposed to be some kind of test?"

"You're being considered by Tsunade-sama to go on a mission."

"Really?" Tenten didn't know whether to feel shocked or pleased. After all, she was just an ordinary person. "To do what?"

"To find the cure to the ongoing epidemic."

"Oh," Tenten said easily at first, but then realised the severity of his words. "Wait, what?! I haven't even been on a C-ranked mission yet!"

"We all know that, which is why you weren't her first choice," stated Neji. "However, my team happens to be missing a member, and no one is available or suitable enough to fill that spot."

"How does Tsunade-sama even know that I'm a ninja?"

"Haruno made the suggestion." Sakura had also asked him for approval before making the proposal to the Hokage, but he wouldn't mention that.

"How am I qualified or suitable in any way?"

"You can put up a decent fight and you're already acquainted with me and Lee. However, you're still merely an option because you're inexperienced. If Tsunade-sama finds a better person by tonight, then you won't have to go."

"And if she doesn't?"

"Then you'll be going on your first mission."

"How is it possible that no one else is free? There are so many ninjas that are stronger and more knowledgeable—what about Sakura, or Ino? Or Hinata? Or—"

"The Hokage wants her strongest ninja to guard the countries, for an infiltration is what she fears the most. She also needs her medically trained ninjas to treat patients at the hospital. And… it seems that Sakura has mentioned that you"—Neji looked away uncomfortably—"have beaten me before in battle."

Despite the situation, Tenten couldn't help but giggle. "Are you serious? That's why she's letting me go? Oh… wow. Then I shouldn't go—I won't come back alive."

"You might."

"That's encouraging."

"Survival for you isn't impossible. After all, you're not going alone. There will most likely be another team accompanying us. Furthermore, you will only be assisting; you simply have to follow orders and take down a few opponents."

"That doesn't sound life threatening at all."

Neji raised an eyebrow. "If you don't want to go, then I can request Tsunade-sama to find someone else."

Tenten bit her lip, her face pensive. She didn't mind trying something new and this was undoubtedly a big opportunity to prove herself. However, retrieving an antidote from a powerful country was obviously an A-ranked mission and even experienced Jounins would come back injured.

"You can save Amaya if you find the cure."

The words hit Tenten like a brick wall; whenever she thought of the little girl, she would feel this big pang of guilt—and then a mixture of shame, sorrow and hopelessness would come rushing as well. There was nothing virtually more saddening than watching a little eight year old grow more and more lifeless with each passing day. So Tenten nodded; after all, it was her fault that Amaya was still unconscious at this moment. "Yes, then I'm in."

"Good. We have to meet her today."

"Do you think Amaya's going to wake up any time soon?" she asked quietly as they were walking towards the hospital. Normally, missions were assigned in the Hokage's tower, but lately Tsunade has only been seen in the hospital so there was no point in meeting elsewhere.

"That's something unpredictable." His eyes stared up ahead. "She might not wake up at all."

"Don't say that!"

"It's very probable."

"Well, I'm hoping that you're wrong for once." Her gaze lifted and she scrutinised the dark, grey sky. "Spring is taking an awfully long time to come."

"Summer will eventually come."

"I can't wait. Can you? I love it when the mornings are all bright and warm."

"Summer makes the body perspire too much."

"Of course. Why would Hyuuga Neji want to look sweaty during his training sessions? It doesn't look cool," Tenten stated sardonically with a smile. Then, remembering their earlier spar, added, "how are you feeling? Does your back hurt?"

"It never did."

"You didn't even bandage it properly."

"My body will heal on its own." He glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. Why was she so concerned?

"Fine. Don't blame me when you get an infection."

"I won't."

"How can you be so sure you won't get an infection?"

"I said I wouldn't blame you. There is a possibility that my wounds will get infected."

"Which is why you should bandage them properly," Tenten finished in triumph.

Neji inwardly sighed. "You're impossible."

"That's my line, actually." She felt her steps quickening in order to match up with Neji's pace. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"If it's about my wounds, I'd rather you not."

"No, it's about your fighting techniques."

Neji turned to her and patiently waited, indicating that she now had his undivided attention.

"Is your Byakuugan perfect?"

His light eyes narrowed the slightest bit. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I noticed that sometimes you miss the weapons aimed towards your back."

"It's normal to miss things," he intoned stiffly, his sharp tone marking the end of this topic. "There's nothing more to it."

Tenten dismissed his odd behaviour and smiled at him. "You know, I'm getting really nervous. This is my first mission, after all."

"You don't seem like it." Neji tried to sound as nonchalant as possible, but it was impossible to push away the unsettled feeling at the pit of his stomach. How did Tenten figure out his weakness so quickly? Was he letting his guard down again? Or was she a lot more observant than he gave her credit for? "Just remember to follow orders."

"What was your first mission like? How old were you?"

"It was a B-ranked mission, and I was nine at the time."

"What? How's that possible? Weren't you still attending the academy then?"

"Yes. However, Hiashi-sama put in a good word for me and with his influence, the Hokage let me go with three Jounins."

"So what did you do?"

"Nothing important," he admitted, shrugging. "I didn't know what to do, actually. I followed simple instructions—I was asked to scout the area surrounding Konoha by myself. I didn't find anybody though." Except that wasn't true; that night he had found Tenten, aged nine. It was the first time he had ever encountered her.

"Were you scared?"

"Not really. I wasn't afraid of death."

"How come?"

"There wasn't anything I would miss," he replied simply. "Dying is only frightening to those who have a lot in their lives. Dying would mean giving up everything they love."

"What about now? Are you afraid of dying?"

He glanced at her for a brief moment. "No," he said slowly. "How can a ninja afford to be scared of dying? A ninja's life is constantly on the line. You shouldn't be a ninja in the first place if you're afraid of such a natural phenomenon."

"I see. So what are you afraid of, then?"

He paused for a short while. "I don't know. I don't know what fear feels like." His wistful tone, laced with bitterness, made Tenten fall silent. "What is there to be afraid of?"

"Lots of things, I guess. I'm scared of death because I feel like there's so much out there to see and feel and it scares me to know that death can take away these opportunities. And I haven't made my mark yet. It sounds cliché and cheesy, I know, but I really want to make something out of my life. I don't want to be another person that just dies after a life of nothing special." She smiled sheepishly. "I'm also kind of scared of snakes."

"Snakes?" Neji asked with incredulity, raising both eyebrows. "They're like any other creature."

"Yeah, but they're all slithery and they're poisonous and everything."

"Not all of them are poisonous." Neji shrugged. "If you find one, kill it."

"No, I wouldn't kill it… I would just wait until it leaves. I don't like them, but they don't deserve to die."

Neji made a small noise that somewhat resembled a snort or a grunt of disbelief. "Maybe you shouldn't go on this mission. You would hesitate to kill anybody."

"Yeah, well at least I'm not a heartless killer."

"You have to be one if you want to survive," he said solemnly.

"I can and will kill a person if it means saving everyone else."

"We'll see."

"Yes you will see! I'm going to prove that I'm a lot stronger than you think."

With vehement determination blazing in her eyes, she opened the doors of the hospital with the prodigy. For once, Sasuke and Naruto weren't standing at the front doors handing out immunity pills. Instead, there were two large, white, automatic dispensers. The two ninjas quickly got one each and swallowed them with the water from the fountains built right at the entrance.

The hospital was in a state of frenzy—it was more hectic than it had ever been. Tenten didn't understand why the volunteers were sent home; it looked like the hospital needed more help than ever. The secretaries alone had various stacks of files to go through, phone calls to take and make and demanding families to deal with. Furthermore, there were doctors running back and forth, trying to calm the entire first floor which was flooded with hoards of people. Parents and children alike were crying, babies were screeching, and doctors were screaming even louder in order to be heard. However, that wasn't the worst part for Tenten, because there was a disturbingly large amount of blood splatters everywhere. It seemed that the people coming in were coughing up blood.

Someone standing not even a foot away from her went into a severe coughing fit, inducing vomit that contained obvious hints of blood. Perturbed, Tenten looked away. "Let's go, Neji."

He didn't say anything, but he covered his nose and led the way.

"I thought things were in control," she said, pinching her nose as well. The smell of the hospital was never great, but now that there was vomit and blood and an abnormal amount of people, the stench was revolting.

"Akiko-san's husband is sick as well."

"Akiko?" That was the maid at the Hyuuga estate who made the delicious bread everyday. "When did he…?"

"He came in a few days ago. I heard he started to cough a few weeks ago, but had dismissed it as nothing severe. Then he started to vomit blood and his headaches were so frequent and bad he began hallucinating. He also uncharacteristically lashed out at his wife."

"That's horrible." She had briefly seen the amount of crying parents. "I can't imagine the number of families affected by this."

"That's why we were summoned today."

"Yeah. Hey, can we pass by the nursery room first? Since we're early and all."

Neji wordlessly nodded and followed her into the elevator. Halfway through the ride, he commented, "I doubt Amaya's going to be there. Even if she was awake, she would probably be far too delicate and fragile to play with all the other kids."

"Well, there are still a lot of cute babies and children to visit."

"If that's what you want, then fine."

Neji was right, as usual—Amaya wasn't there when they reached the nursery room, but neither was Fuji, or Aki or any of the kids they were supervising just less than a week ago. Instead, at least three dozens of unfamiliar faces filled up the small room, making it twice as crowded as it used to be. Tenten's brows furrowed; exactly how many people were coming in? And why wasn't the room supervised? At least twenty kids were shoving and crying at the moment.

"Aren't you two supposed to be in Tsunade-sama's office upstairs?"

The source of the voice was a very drained Sakura, who was also holding bags of diapers and toiletries. "You know," she continued tiredly, "if you're late she's probably going to lose it. And it's no wonder, she hasn't had sleep for the past three days…"

"I don't think we're late. She told us to meet up at nine," the brunette said, glancing at the clock that hung on the wall. "It's barely eight now."

"Oh, then, never mind. So why are you here so early?"

Tenten shrugged. "I don't know, but we just are… so we decided to visit the kids." She frowned slightly. "Sakura, what happened to all of the other kids? Like Fuji and Aki…"

"They're now hospitalised. Turns out, one of the kids was sick but showed no symptoms," Sakura said sombrely, managing a half-smile. "We left the contagious child in a room full of babies and children. Very careless on our part, but now, we're doing our best to keep everyone safe. That's why we told all the volunteers and non-medically trained ninjas to go home. We can't afford to expose anyone else to the disease."

"I thought you said everything was under control."

"It was, for a little while. I don't know why, but during the last few days the disease just… spread everywhere. We have pills and everything but somehow people still got sick. And they would infect the people around them, who will infect everyone they talk to… it's just a vicious cycle."

"Then why are healthy kids here? Aren't you just exposing kids to the disease?"

"Well, honestly, at this point, all of Konoha is pretty much contaminated. So no matter where you go…" The pink-haired kunoichi's voice grew more and more faint. "By the way, you two should be careful… you can't get sick. All our ninjas have to stay healthy in order to fight off any… attacks made by other countries. And…"

"Sakura, hey, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I just haven't had a blink of sleep for the past two days. And I've been taking so many of those pills lately. I guess all that medicine is taking its toll on my body. Anyways, I have to go supervise the kids. That's actually a break, you know, compared to studying x-rays and cleaning up after coughing patients…" She smiled slightly, but her eyes were half lidded. "Sorry, I tend to babble a lot when I'm deprived of sleep."

"Hey, we can watch the kids until nine," Tenten offered, glimpsing at Neji. He didn't say anything encouraging but he didn't protest either, so she continued. "Here, I'll take your stuff. You can go to the bathroom and take a nap. I'll call you when it's time, okay?"

"Thank you, Tenten-chan, and Neji-san…"

"Oh, and Sakura, one last thing." Tenten cast her friend a hopeful look. "Did Amaya…?"

"Did she wake up yet? No, Tenten, she didn't." Seeing the brunette's crestfallen expression, she added, "I think she's been having some hallucinations, though. Sometimes she would show signs of discomfort or fear… but she's never really gained consciousness. At least she's not dead yet."

"Yeah," Tenten answered, trying to muster a grin. "Well, that's it. Go take a nap."

"Thank you, Tenten-chan, and Neji-san… oh wait, didn't I just say that? Oh well." She then mumbled something incoherent and laughed to herself.

"It's scary to see what this epidemic is doing to all of us," Tenten said after Sakura disappeared into the bathroom. "Sakura's a mess. Why won't they just let people help?"

"Enough people are hospitalised."

"Yeah, well, at this rate we're all going to be hospitalised," she replied as they entered the room. The instant she walked in, it was like they had entered the waiting room all over again. The noise level was so high Tenten was convinced she would go deaf by the end of the hour. "Are you serious? This is worse than it ever was before."

"There are twice as many kids," Neji stated flatly, but the frown etched on his face showed his disdain. "I'll wait by the wall."

"No! Neji, you have to help me. You take care of the babies, and I'll take care of the children."

"You were the one who offered." As he said this, a chubby girl, aged four or so, poked his knee. "What is your name?"

"None of your business."

The little girl pouted. "Why won't you tell me?"

"I don't want to."

"I'll tell you mine! My name is Mioko."

"I don't care."

Mioko's bottom lip began to tremble. "If you don't tell me, I'll… I'll…"

"You'll what?"

Instantly, Tenten nudged him with her elbow. "Neji, be nice."

"Neji is your name!" the little girl instantly cried, pointing her stubby finger at him in triumph. She grinned widely. "Neji! Neji! Neji! Neji! Neji! Neji is your name!"

The prodigy glared at Tenten. "Now look at what've you done."

Tenten grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of her head as she watched the little girl running around, yelling "Neji" at the top of her lungs. "Oops. Well, it's not my fault you wouldn't tell her your name like a normal person."

"Normal people don't have to deal with fifty kids at once."

"Well, we have to so just deal with it."

For the next half hour, Tenten became fairly acquainted with the children. Although from time to time she would get wary of the crying babies and difficult children, she still had a relatively good time. After all, children possessed such an innocent, untainted point of view and their imagination had no bounds. It was interesting to see what they would draw and what they perceived life as. But eventually she grew tired so she announced that it was time for Neji's storytelling; she had figured that the room would probably be quiet if the Hyuuga prodigy was reading them a story. So everyone gathered around Neji, who grudgingly took out a fairytale storybook from the bookshelf and began to read.

"And they lived happily ever after," he concluded, snapping the book shut. Unbeknownst to him, Tenten was standing at the back, watching him, smiling softly. She rather liked his storytelling voice. Not that his talking voice was bad, but it always had this hard edge to it, whereas his voice was soft and gentle when reading.

"Tell us another story, Neji!" Mioko exclaimed, and instantly a bunch of children began to chatter excitedly.

"I don't know any stories to tell," Neji said impassively. Although he didn't speak very loud, the children immediately silenced at the sound of his voice.

"No love stories?" A little girl with honey coloured hair looked at him with hopeful hazel eyes.

"Definitely not."

"Can we ask you questions, then?"

"Questions?" The prodigy, slightly irritated, fixed his eyes upon Tenten, as if silently asking to leave. Tenten, in return, smiled and shook her head slightly. "You're doing amazing," she mouthed, giving him a thumbs up. Then she pointed to the clock, indicating that there was only thirty more minutes.

Neji inhaled sharply. "Very well. What do you kids want to know?"

A boy's hand shot up. "What is it like, being a ninja?"

"Too general. Next."

"Have you ever lost a match?"

"Not often, but yes. Everybody does."

"How often do you train?"

"Every day."

There were murmurs circling around the room. Everybody seemed to be fascinated by the concept of training so often. The oldest looking boy, who was probably nine, stood up timidly. "How do you stay so motivated?"

"Everyone has their own reasons. There is one universal desire, however, and that is to be strong. If you desperately want to be at the top, then you'll find the will to train." Seeming satisfied with his answer, Neji looked at the next girl with her hand raised up. "You."

"Do you love anybody?"

"No. Next."

"But why? Aren't you Tenten-chan's boyfriend?"

Neji, momentarily baffled by the question, scoffed loudly and hastily stood up. "That's it, I'm leaving for the bathroom."

When the door slammed shut, all the children directed their attention towards Tenten, whose cheeks were still stained slightly pink. "We're not together. We're just friends," she explained, laughing in embarrassment. "Oh, kids these days."

"Tenten-chan, are you lying?"

"Of course not! Why would I lie about something like that?"

"Because I think you are. Neji-kun, too."

"Yeah, well, we're not." Tenten clapped her hands together, deliberately trying to change the subject. "So, what do you guys want to do now?"

"Is Neji-kun a big softie on the inside?"

The kunoichi sighed at her failed attempt, but felt her lips curving into a smile. "Yes. Yes, he is."

* * *

Neji was washing his hands in the bathroom when the door suddenly swung open. Through the mirror, he saw the reflection of perhaps one of his most disliked people. He spun around, with fists shoved into his pockets and a venomous scowl seemingly fixed on his face. "What are you doing here?"

Hyuuga Hiro smirked. "Hello to you, Neji."

"What are you doing here?"

"At the hospital? I was called by Tsunade-sama to come. She wants to send me off on a mission."

Neji's eyes hardened. "You're coming."

"Why? Is that a problem? I'm hurt, that my own relative doesn't want me to accompany him." The older Hyuuga's eyes were amused and taunting. "I see that Tenten was assigned the mission as well. This is going to be interesting."

"What are you implying?"

"I see that she's also good with children. Quite the catch, do you agree?"

"Is this a joke? Stop trying to be close to Tenten." Neji's voice was deadlier with each word. "Stay away from her. You are engaged."

Hiro remained impassive, yet there was a hint of remorse in his pearly eyes. "And what, you're not?"

"I don't bear the same feelings you have for her."

"And what are these feelings that you speak of?"

"You like her."

"Then I beg to differ. You do bear the same feelings, whether you know it or not." When Neji didn't say anything, Hiro chuckled. "What a naïve boy. Why else are you getting so worked up? You hate the fact that I'm always trying to talk to her."

It wasn't right, it went beyond all logic reasoning to like Tenten, Neji wanted to say. Instead, he blurted out, "why would you like her, out of all people?"

"What, you hate that I chose the girl you like?" He was met with silence yet again and this time, Hiro began laughing. In some ways, Neji was nothing more than a teenage boy. "If you haven't realised, Tenten is a smart girl. She's pretty, she's kind, and most of all she knows how to stand up for herself. She's strong—physically and mentally. She has a way with words. She knows—" He paused when he caught Neji's incredulous expression. "Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about. I know you saved that picture of Tenten's picture from the magazine. Quite beautiful, isn't she?"

"How did you know?" Neji impulsively asked, not realising that he just confirmed what Hiro said.

"I see it peeking from your shirt."

Neji instantly looked down, only to realise that he didn't have the picture on him—he never did. He scowled. "You looked in my room."

"I went in the other day because I was helping out a maid. She had a lot of clothes to deliver."

"Stop changing the subject," Neji said irritably; something about Hiro knowing he saved Tenten's picture was unsettling. "Just stay away from her, for both your and her own good."

"Tenten must be rubbing off on you. You're actually caring."

Neji cast him a chilly stare. "Remember your fiancée?"

Hiro's smile instantly dropped.

"She suspects you of cheating. She can see through your act. Unless you want Tenten to be severely punished, then stop seeing her."

For the first time, Hiro's confident composure shattered and he glanced away. He inhaled slowly, closed his eyes and turned around. "I know. I've had my fun. If it makes you feel any better, she knows about the engagement. She now thinks I'm a compulsive liar and womanizer. Are you happy, knowing that?"

"I don't care," Neji replied honestly. "I don't want her to get hurt."

"Then why don't _you_ back off? Stop acting like you're always logical and sensitive."

"I don't make any advances towards her."

"Regardless, she likes you."

The words made Neji completely halt in his tracks. His body felt partially paralyzed; the simple thought of Tenten liking him was so foreign… yet satisfactory? He had felt this back in the nursery room just now when the children had assumed him to be Tenten's boyfriend. He didn't want to admit it, but the feeling pleased him. Was it simply pleasantness that was induced by flattery? No, he had been complimented all his life. Many females have come onto him as well, yet, he couldn't see Tenten as another female. Not that she wasn't feminine, because she definitely had feminine qualities—

"You're going to be engaged soon," Hiro continued with his back facing towards him. "That will hurt Tenten."

"Don't make such ridiculous assumptions. I don't like Tenten, and she does not like me. Why will she be hurt?" Yet even the emotionless prodigy could feel that those words were hollow.

"Why else is she staying?"

"She needs the money."

"That's not the only reason and you know it. So if you don't want to be the one hurting her, then let her go—"

"I won't do that," Neji replied instantaneously. The second part of his response came a few seconds later. "There's no point. She's joining my team for an upcoming mission. Causing a conflict will only hinder our performance."

"Nice save." Hiro began walking away, waving a short goodbye. "You know, I'm going on this mission too. I can't possibly stay away from Tenten." Neji could hear the arrogant smirk in his voice. "Let's see how this will turn out, Neji."

* * *

"That bastard is here," Neji muttered angrily as he walked into the room. On his face was a seemingly fixed frown of disgust. "That bastard has the nerve to accept the same mission as us, just because he wants to be near you. Why that fucking—"

"Language," Tenten interposed sharply, gesturing towards the kids who were watching him with large eyes. "And who is this… person?"

"Hiro."

Tenten didn't know what to feel or how to respond to that, so she quickly averted her eyes and looked back down at Mioko, who was holding a blue crayon and a colouring sheet. "Mioko, do you want to show me your drawing?"

"No, it's ugly!" Mioko exclaimed, crumpling it in her tiny hands.

"I'm sure it isn't." The sixteen year old carefully unfolded it and smoothed out the crumpled edges. She showed it to Neji. "Neji, do you think it's ugly?"

"Yes."

His blunt answer made Mioko's eyes well up. "I hate you, Neji-kun!"

The rest of the hour went on, passing surprisingly quickly. Some continued to cry, but they stopped once they were given food or a pacifier and eventually the noise level was relatively bearable. A lot of children warmed up to Tenten, and some even had the nerve to talk to Neji even though he was easily three times their size. Mioko, the bravest one of all, actually climbed onto a table and jumped onto the prodigy's back. "Give me a ride, horsey!" she exclaimed.

Then Neji did the most amazing thing ever, in Tenten's opinion; even though his eyebrow was twitching with annoyance, he walked around the room with Mioko on his shoulders. Tenten couldn't refrain from giggling as she helped another kid with his picture.

"It's been an hour already," Neji said suddenly, removing the little girl from his head. "Wake up Haruno and we're leaving."

"Okay, okay," the brunette replied, resisting the urge to laugh at the sight. Neji always managed to surprise her with his gentleness.

"Aw, you're not coming back?" Fujitaki, a little boy with sea green eyes, asked. He frowned. "But I like you guys."

"We're going on a mission," Tenten explained, patting Fujitaki on his head. "We'll come visit after we return."

"But it's always so boring!"

"You should be grateful that you're not hospitalised," Neji intoned in a cold, patronising tone. "Some kids can't even play at all."

"Fine," Fujitaki said, crossing his arms and pouting. "I'll be quiet. Bye."

"Bye!" Mioko added with a grin, and then there was chorus of farewells and goodbyes around the room.

"Finally," Neji muttered under his breath as he closed the door behind them. "It's been a while since I've had a good mission." Then, in a quieter voice, he added, "although there is a person I wouldn't mind leaving behind."

"Hiro?"

"Who else?"

"Hey Neji," Tenten said quietly, slowly, pausing to choose her words. They had stopped in front of the bathroom; Sakura was still inside, probably sleeping. "Why didn't you tell me that Hiro was engaged? You kept this from me and let him approach me. All along, you knew but didn't say anything."

"I was going to."

She did recall him getting slightly flustered with anger at times. "That doesn't count. Why didn't you just tell me? To think that he has a _fiancée_—honestly, Neji! I thought you would be more responsible than that."

"This has nothing to do with me. I didn't have to say anything. Why are you blaming this on me?"

"Because you should've said something! How many times has Hiro talked to me?"

His eyes hardened. "You didn't seem to mind. You accepted his advances. Why should I be the one to interfere?"

"Because that would be the right thing to do. And… because you're just Neji! I thought you're supposed to be this humble, logical—"

"You thought wrong."

"Well, _I_ would've said something if I knew an engaged person was hitting on you!" Tenten finally burst out, and instantly wondered why she had said that. "First of all, it would be the right thing to do and honestly, I would care enough to say something."

"Maybe I don't care," Neji replied shortly and spun around, ending the conversation. "Call Haruno. We're going to be late."

Tenten didn't even reply. For some reason, she felt hurt that Neji didn't have the decency to tell her something like that. Didn't he care that Hiro was engaged and could get into a lot of trouble? Furthermore, didn't he care that she was being hit on? She shut her eyes, willed herself to feel calm, and entered the bathroom. She wouldn't let someone as careless as Neji upset her. "Sakura?" she called out. "Sakura, it's nine already."

"Huh?" The pink-haired kunoichi slowly emerged from one of the stalls, rubbing her eyes. "One hour passed already?" She smiled tiredly. "Oh well. Thanks, Tenten. I really appreciate…" Suddenly, she swayed back and forth and barely managed to steady herself. "What was I saying again?"

"Sakura, are you okay? You look really, really tired. Maybe you should take a day off."

"No, no, this is nothing. I have so many patients. I can't possibly take a break and let people down."

"Don't overexert yourself."

"I'll… be fine."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, of course. Go on ahead. Don't be late because of me… you don't want to face a stressed Tsunade-sama. She gets ticked off very easily nowadays and will probably rip off your head. Trust me, she can do that."

Tenten half-heartedly smiled at her friend's attempt at a joke and reluctantly left after a quick goodbye. Together with Neji, she stepped into Tsunade's office with an apprehensive smile. It was a lot smaller than the traditional room in the Hokage's tower; it was definitely too small to fit the ninjas already standing there. The Hokage herself sat behind her desk, but on it was a grinning Naruto. Next to him stood Sasuke, who looked more bored than anything else. Then there was the forever energetic Lee, Hiro, Kiba and then finally Shino.

"Neji, Tenten," Tsunade-sama barked. "You're late. Any reason why?"

Any normal ninja would've immediately apologised under her frightening stare, but Tenten smiled warmly instead. "We were helping Sakura watch the kids."

Naruto's eyes grew into the size of saucepans when Tsunade accepted the answer with a nod. "Why, I thank you on Sakura's behalf. That is very kind of you two."

"No problem. And sorry we're late."

"Don't worry dear, it's only been five minutes."

Every other ninja present in the room could only gape at the strange brunette. Their short-tempered Hokage was hardly ever that kind or patient. Finally, Neji cleared his throat and said, "Tsunade-sama, have you found another suitable person?"

The blonde woman sighed and looked through her list of available fighters. "Sadly, no. I've gathered as many ninjas as I can but I can't send a Jounin or ANBU member. You kids are all I've got." She pointed towards the only other female in the room. "Is Tenten good at fighting?"

"She'll do."

Sasuke cocked an eyebrow. "Is this her first mission?"

Neji answered for Tenten. "Yes."

"How can she possibly take on an A-ranked mission?"

The Hyuuga prodigy shrugged. "There's no one else."

"And I don't mind," Tenten piped up.

"I think Hinata-san would be a better choice," Shino advised wisely, readjusting his sunglasses. It was the first time he had spoken since he got here. "Tenten-san seems rather inexperienced, whereas Hinata-san is used to working with the rest of us."

"Yes, but Hinata is another Hyuuga. I have Hiro and Neji already… I can't send too many Hyuugas." She pretended to not notice the brief exchange of glances between the two Hyuugas. "And I can't send Ino or Sakura, either. I need them more than ever…"

"What about Gai-sensei?" Lee cried passionately. "He never fails once he puts his mind to it!"

"I've heard through many sources that various villages are waiting to infiltrate Konoha," Tsunade-sama said, her voice beginning to rise with irritation. "I can't afford to send off my strongest men or my medic nin. Besides, I believe that you eight will be able to complete this mission."

"What is our mission about, anyway?" Naruto asked, still perched casually on her desk. "And does anyone have food? I'm hungry."

"Wait until noon," Hiro murmured, yet the underlying annoyance was evident.

"Idiot, you just ate breakfast," Sasuke muttered.

"Excuse me? What did you call me?"

"We shall not fight!" Lee yelled at the top of his lungs and everyone automatically cringed. "We must work together, for the sake of the youth and—"

At that instant, Tsunade's patience snapped and she slammed her fist on the edge of her desk, so loud and hard that the thick oak wood splintered. "Silence! I didn't ask any of you to come here to bicker or squabble or do anything that will annoy me, now did I? I didn't think so! Now listen up or else you will be severely punished! And Naruto, get off my desk! Who the hell do you think you are?" With one flick of her finger, she sent Naruto flying. Sasuke helped his companion up.

"Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, Rock Lee, Hyuuga Hiro, Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino, Hyuuga Neji, and Tenten," she called out, identifying every ninja in her booming voice. Instantly, all eight teens straightened their backs. "You eight will be sent on a mission to the Land of Lightning to find the cure to the ongoing epidemic. Is this clear?"

She continued before anyone could reply. "Now, our relation with the Land of Lightning isn't perfect. Twelve years ago, they had attempted to kidnap Hinata to obtain the Byakuugan—the bloodline limit that all Hyuugas possess. Of course, her father was there to stop the abduction and immediately killed the intruder."

Meanwhile, Tenten was watching Neji from the corner of her eye. She couldn't help but frown a little; for some reason, he seemed tense.

"The Raikage used this murder against us, claiming that we had broken the treaty even though they were essentially the first to violate the terms. However, Konoha wasn't in the state to handle a war, especially against a powerful country. The Raikage offered a solution: they demanded for Hiashi's body. An eye for an eye, I suppose," Tsunade-sama continued steadily, addressing the questioning look Tenten had on her face. "Of course, we didn't give up the Hyuuga leader—we couldn't afford to. We found a solution. It involved tricking them, but it was worth a try. Hizashi—Neji's father who is also Hiashi's twin brother—stepped in and sacrificed himself."

Tenten's breath caught; so Neji's father really was dead. That meant that Neji had lost both his mother and his father at the age of four. Deep down, she felt a strange sadness wring at her heart.

"Hizashi had done it voluntarily, and it was a very heroic act," Tsunade added with a slight smile, gazing pointedly at Neji, whose impassive expression had never changed. "It prevented the outbreak of a war."

"Why did the Raikage want the Byakuugan?" Tenten asked in a small voice.

"The Hyuuga clan is one of Konoha's oldest, noblest and strongest clans. They are one of the reasons why Konoha is what it is. If the Raikage or any opponent figures out how the Byakuugan works, then they wouldn't have such a hard time dealing with Hyuuga fighters. That would be fatal and can ultimately lead to the clan's demise."

"Why did Neji's dad have to go instead of Hiashi-sama? What difference did it make? The Raikage would possess the Byakuugan either way."

"Simply put, the Byakuugan was sealed within Hizashi's body when he died."

"So the Raikage never got to figure out the Byakuugan?"

"No, he did not."

"So why didn't Hiashi-sama die instead? The Byakuugan would've been sealed."

The corners of the Hokage's mouth lifted the slightest bit. "It's slightly more complicated than that. You could say that killing Hizashi was our last option. The Raikage strictly asked for Hiashi's body, clearly implying that there would be major consequences if we didn't hand over the clan head's body. Yet we couldn't. Hizashi not only saved Konoha and the clan's bloodline limit—he also saved his own brother. Like I said, it was a very admirable act.

"However, about three months ago, some of the Raikage's men made an unexpected visit. I had been too careless—we all were. One of his men must have seen Hiashi recently and reported to the Raikage that he is, in fact, still alive. And then, a little less than two months later, I received the first patient with symptoms of a strange disease. Her name is Amaya. Neji and Tenten are actually familiar with her, am I correct?"

The two nodded, apprehensive.

"At first, I was convinced that she had brain tumours—that was what my doctors and I have deduced from examining her behaviour and x-rays. But her x-rays results were odd; they were always changing and the tumours would grow and shrink in size. Before I could look more into it, I began having a flood of patients, all claiming to be sick or feverish.

"I thought it was simply a flu going around. It is logical, considering that we are still in the middle of winter. However, one day, on a whim, I decided to take an x-ray of a few random patients. Turns out, they too had strange, moving _things_ residing in their cranium. As time passed by, I noticed that these blobs would darken and develop more of an unknown substance that modifies the nerve impulses sent from the brain. Patients would throw tantrums, hallucinate, cough blood, vomit…

"Yet at the same time, sometimes these symptoms will completely disappear for a few hours and nothing would show up on x-rays. Then, they would collapse and end up weaker than ever. It's extremely difficult to figure out how this disease works and how to combat it. I haven't actually figured out how to block out these unknown substances. These immunity pills that I hand out work simply by strengthening your immune systems. It is definitely not a hundred percent effective, which is why some people who took the pill were also affected. Generally, people who are weaker in healthy catch the epidemic first.

"Thankfully, I did notice a constant pattern in the patients. After a certain amount of time, they reach a stage where they aren't contagious anymore. That is why Amaya was allowed to play with other kids.

"I need you eight to retrieve the cure, no matter what it takes. You must be extremely careful—remember to sleep well and take your supplements. Last time, Shikamaru and Chouji decided to fight in cold and wet conditions for three days straight and ended up catching the epidemic. They are now hospitalised."

"I'm not!" Naruto intercepted, yelling almost joyously. "I guess I have a really strong immune system, right?"

"This, I believe, is the Raikage's way of getting revenge," Tsunade continued, ignoring the overly excited blond. "I wasn't entirely surprised when I realised that it was the Raikage's men who were inserting bacteria or whatever it is into our herbs and medicine supply. They would intercept the deliveries and we would unknowingly distribute the herbs to our medicinal stores. Amaya's foster parents, the Tanakas, own the largest store in Konoha and therefore received a large supply of the contaminated herbs. I assume Amaya was the first to catch the disease because she is young and therefore weaker. However, the Tanakas came in a few days after Amaya, proving that this bacteria is capable of affecting anyone.

"This disease is lethal. It's unpredictable but it undoubtedly progresses and the patients' conditions worsen. I don't know when or how they're going to die… all I know is that this is probably the Raikage's way of getting his vengeance. After all, we did deceive him."

"It still gives him no right to do something like this," Tenten cried, crossing her arms.

"Perhaps, but there's also pride involved. To be frank, I don't know what the Raikage has up his sleeves. And I have a feeling that all the other countries know about Konoha's vulnerability at the moment—which is not a good thing." Tsunade stood up, gathering files. "You eight will leave tomorrow morning at seven o'clock sharp. The trip to the Lightning village should take approximately three days, depending on how many breaks you take. I suggest you all rest well. Although time is running out, I can't afford to have another eight ninjas hospitalised."

"Tsunade-sama," Shino said, "perhaps we should have two more fighters on our team."

"I would send Hinata, Shino, but I can't. She's the clan head's daughter, and I don't think it's a wise idea to send three Hyuugas to a corrupted Raikage who wants the Hyuuga bloodline limit. Out of them three, I think Hinata is weakest. She won't be able to defend herself as well as Neji and Hiro can."

"Hinata is very strong!" Naruto objected.

"Yes, she does have many admirable strengths but she is still just a Chuunin, whereas both Neji and Hiro are Jounin. They also have more experience."

"I still don't understand why Tenten is on this mission," Sasuke said, elevating an eyebrow. "No offence, but you are not ready."

"Enough!" Tsunade's voice rang with such finality that no one dared to make another statement. "There will be no more alterations. Leave tomorrow morning, and do whatever you can to get the cure. I hate to put unnecessary pressure on you guys, but I cannot emphasise enough how this mission is absolutely instrumental to the survival of Konoha. More than three quarters of the population is hospitalised and I absolutely need the cure. Do whatever it takes to get the cure. That is all. You are now all dismissed."

* * *

After they were dismissed, Tenten and Neji stopped by the cafeteria to eat their lunch together. It was a silent lunch hour for the both of them; Tenten didn't know what Neji was thinking, but she knew she had a bunch of questions to ask. Yet, she kept them in because she knew she shouldn't meddle in his life. After all, she only learned of his father's death because it was necessary background information for the mission. Neji hadn't told her for a reason—he clearly didn't want her to know.

Thankfully, Ino stopped by to tell Tenten that she could now visit Amaya. Tenten wasn't as ecstatic as she thought she should've been; she was convinced that the hospital made her feel especially sluggish and depressed. Or maybe it was just the silent, emotionless Neji.

They walked together to Amaya's room. Due to Tenten's request, Neji followed her into the room and stood near the door. There was a long pause during which no one moved or did anything—the two teens simply stared at the sleeping figure. Amaya was breathing softly into her mask, but Tenten's heart sank when she saw how much more hollow and sallow the eight year old's cheeks were. It didn't look right. Sure, she was alive but she was bedridden. Her awaiting fate did not change, either.

Finally, the brunette bent over Amaya and shook her gently to wake her up. The little girl's eyes slowly opened, and when they did, they regained a little spark. "Hi, nee-chan! Neji-kun is here too," she added joyously when she craned her neck. She took off her mask and breathed in deeply. "I'm so glad."

"Hey Amaya," the sixteen year old said softly, trying to maintain a cheerful smile. "How are you feeling?"

"It's so hard to breathe," Amaya whispered slowly between breaths, yet she shook her head when Tenten reached for the ventilation mask. "I don't like talking with that thing on."

Tenten's hand remained paralysed in the air, unsure as to whether she should or shouldn't put back on the mask. Finally, she bit her lip and dropped her hand. "I'm so sorry, Amaya. I shouldn't have brought you outside."

"Are you kidding me?" She grinned widely. "That was so much fun. I finally went to the aquarium and I made a snowman for the first time."

"Yes, but you were too sick to run around the snow like that, and you're like this because of me. You can't even play with all the other kids."

"I'd rather spend one super fun day with you than play with some kids," Amaya claimed stubbornly. She reached for a button near her bed, and slowly her bed retracted, allowing her to sit up straight without actually moving. "Thank you, Tenten-nee-chan and Neji-kun."

"Don't thank me… you're in this condition because I brought you out."

"I'm fine, really," Amaya insisted loudly, but it was impossible to hide her breathlessness. "It's not your fault anyway. I can't blame you because I'm sick. I just wish they would let me out. I'm so bored."

"Well, you still have many books to read and so many cool toys to play with."

"I read all of the books and I can't actually play with toys because I always have to stay in bed. Sakura-chan always stops by to see if I need anything, but I still feel lonely. And I always feel so tired." Amaya huffed impatiently. "I never thought that I would be so jealous of other kids."

"Why would you be jealous?"

"Because they're not sick, like me."

Tenten predicted the answer before it was voiced aloud; she had only asked because she had nothing else to say. Why else would Amaya be jealous of the other kids?

"I'm going to die, aren't I?" Amaya asked quietly.

"Why would you think that?"

"I've been sick for so long and I never get better. Sometimes I suddenly fall and I won't remember what happened. I see blood in my hands when I cough and I see rats and monsters in my nightmares. One time I dreamed of my mommy and she told me not to be scared. But I am, nee-chan. I don't think this will ever go away."

Tenten bit her lip, unable to respond. What could she say? That the sickness wasn't lethal? That Tsunade-sama had already found the cure? The truth was evident.

"I'm being selfish again," Amaya intoned suddenly, apologetically. "Tenten-nee-chan and Neji-kun are so kind to visit me but all I do is complain. I'm sorry. You must think I'm ungrateful, but really, I am thankful. No one really cares about an unwanted kid like me, but you do because you're so kind, nee-chan. Thank you."

"It's nothing," Tenten whispered. "You're a great kid, Amaya. Don't ever think otherwise."

"Really? You think so?"

"Yes, and that's why I chose to grant you three wishes," the kunoichi said cheerfully, faintly smiling. "I'm supposed to be your fairy godmother, just like the ones you see in fairytales. What else can I do for you, Amaya? What's your third wish?"

For a long period of time, the entire room was silent. The little blonde stared down at her tiny pale hands, breathing softly. Tenten fixed her eyes upon the little girl, and beside her was Neji, who silently observed them.

"I was a bad girl when I was really small," Amaya started softly, her gaze still cast downwards, her eyes lifeless and disappointed. "My mommy and daddy left me because I never liked the food they bought me. They didn't get a lot of money but I still wanted good food and nice toys so I always whined until I got what I want. Finally, they put me up for adoption because they didn't want me anymore. But I only wanted to be like the other kids that I saw on the streets. I just wanted to hold my parents' hands, and go shopping every week, and eat dinner together like you see in the movies…"

Tenten couldn't see the eight year old's face, but it was apparent that her lips were trembling. "I wanted to change but they didn't want me anymore, so they left me at the orphanage. I hated it there… it was even worse than home. The meals were always the same and the toys were old and scratchy… Tenten-nee-chan, I used to steal the other kids' toys and their candies because I thought if I was bad enough, then the orphanage would call my parents and send me back. But they never came. Instead, a really nice old lady took me in. I became good, because I knew that if I was bad again then she wouldn't want me anymore.

"I learned to like every toy, even if it was ugly and dirty. I became really happy. I joined the academy, I made a lot of friends, and sometimes I would even see mommy and daddy." Her voice was on the verge of breaking. "I promised myself that I would always be a good girl, no matter what… so…"

Amaya finally looked up at Tenten with tear-filled cerulean eyes. In a heartbreakingly pleading voice, she cried, "so why, why can't I live?"

Tenten averted her gaze, swallowing hard. Of course. What else could Amaya's third wish be?

"I always thought that if I was a good girl, if I ate everything the nurses gave me, if I didn't cry when I got needles, if I didn't yell anymore, then I would be able to live. I tried so hard to always smile… so why can't I live?" Her voice grew faint, but the underlying desperation was evident. Her shaky hands balled into tiny fists. "I thought if I tried hard enough, then…"

"Amaya, you will live." Tenten had trouble holding back her tears and quickly swiped at them. "Neji and I and a lot of strong ninjas are going to find the cure. We're going to come back with it, and you will live. That's your third wish, isn't it?" She smiled widely through her tears. "Then I promise that you'll live, Amaya. You will live, no matter what."

Amaya's big toothy grin was faint but genuine. "Really? Is that true, Neji-kun?"

Neji didn't move from his position but his eyes held a gentle expression. "Yes. We are leaving tomorrow morning."

"So there is a cure?"

"Of course." The brunette pressed the switch and Amaya's bed slowly reclined. "There are so many things that you can do once you're healthy again."

"I want to go rollerblading with nee-chan!"

"Exactly! I promise that we will do that." Tenten pulled the covers over the little blonde. "I'll be back tomorrow morning, right before I leave, okay?"

"Okay."

Tenten smiled tenderly, gently brushing away Amaya's bangs from her face. "Sweet dreams."

"Goodnight, Neji-kun, Tenten-nee-chan." The little blonde drifted off to a peaceful sleep before she could finish mumbling that sentence. She was extremely weak, and her cheeks were colourless and sunken in, but her lips were curved in a tiny smile. Despite her sickly state, her features held an angelic expression.

Only then did Tenten leave her seat. She suddenly realised how emotionally drained she was; she felt like she had been dealing with so much lately. She quickly wiped her tears with her sleeves and glanced at Neji.

"You shouldn't make empty promises to children," he said quietly once they exited the room.

"Who says that it's an empty promise?" Tenten countered instantly, staring confidently at Neji. Her deep brown eyes were filled with nothing but sheer determination; it was evident that her conviction was beyond all logic. "I'm not going to just sit back and watch as people die. We're going on this mission and we're going to find the cure to this disease."

"Other teams have failed. This is an A-ranked mission. Don't expect to find the cure and come back alive."

Tenten cocked her head sideways, smiling slightly. "Just watch me."

* * *

"Hideki-sama is dead."

The grim expression on Hiashi's face never changed. "I see."

"Are you sure? Is that confirmed by the doctors?" Hitoshi demanded, his voice rising. There was still a trace of denial in his eyes. Not that he was the only one; it was hard to believe that the greatest, almighty Elder, the one person who had enough clout to overturn the leader's decision, was dead.

"That is why I'm appointing my nephew as my successor."

"Hiashi-sama, you cannot do something this rash. You're not even close to the age of retiring."

"I am not as strong as I used to be." Hiashi was already in his late forties; most leaders retired by the time they were fifty. "While I'm aging, Neji is constantly becoming stronger."

"We cannot have Neji—he is a member of the branch family!"

"You're rejecting him because of a mark on his forehead? We can remove that, you know. It's a difficult process, but it's feasible."

"You—you simply cannot. What would become of the Hyuuga clan?"

"It will survive."

"You're not even dead yet. Why must we choose a leader now?"

"Because Neji is the only suitable person to take my position."

"Hiashi-sama," Hitashi sternly said, "you're displaying favouritism. Clearly, you prefer Neji because he is your nephew."

"I'm doing no such thing."

"Then why isn't he engaged? He's been sixteen for half a year now."

"That's because there was an imposter."

"There's no reason now."

"It's because you're still stubborn about that commoner, right?" Hisoka finally asked.

Hiashi didn't reply, but he took out an ancient scroll and opened it slowly. "The clan head always writes down the name of his successor here," he announced deliberately, knowing that they all knew of its contents and rituals. "Should anything happen to me…"

"Nothing will," Hisoka bravely stated. "We will not let the Raikage have your body or the Byakuugan."

"When I die," Hiashi continued anyway, "Hyuuga Neji will be the next Hyuuga leader."

The Elders were shocked and speechless as they watched the clan head carefully write "Hyuuga Neji" into the scroll. None of them wanted a member of the branch family to be their leader; they would rather have Hinata, a woman, or even a less skilled fighter like Hiro. Yet Hiashi did not even pause or hesitate as he made this permanent change to the scroll. When he was done, he glanced up, as if asking for any objections. His steady gaze did not waver for one moment.

"What if Neji dies before you do?"

Hiashi smiled grimly. "A ninja's life is always at risk."

"Today, Tsunade-sama confirmed that Neji along with seven other ninjas will be sent to the Land of Lightning to find the cure. Let us not forget that Akira, his former teammate and daughter of the Raikage, is going to fight him," Hitoshi said. "We all know that Akira has seriously injured him before."

"I have faith in Neji's abilities. He's stronger now."

"Maybe so, but he can easily die before you do. You know how reckless that boy is."

Hiashi gave one harsh laugh. "Aren't we all?"

"You can't afford to be. You will be the leader for as long as possible."

"There won't be a suitable leader in only two years."

"Hanabi-sama will be old enough then."

The clan head raised an eyebrow. "A woman has never been a leader."

"Neither has a member of a branch family."

"Why are we so afraid of change?" Hiashi slammed his hand down onto the wooden table, which shook greatly under the impact. "You and I both know that Hyuuga Neji is the only person fit enough to lead the clan. The decision has been made; his name is already on the scroll. Whether I die or retire, he will be the next leader." In a quieter voice, he added, "he deserves this."

"Fine," Hitoshi said, clearly irritated by the current leader.

"Fine," Hisoka repeated, equally peeved. "However, Neji will be our leader only if you die, and only if"—he smiled rather crookedly—"he doesn't die at the hands of his former teammate."

* * *

It was raining heavily in the land of lightning. The skies were dark and murky and the droplets pelted down against the rooftop like bullets. Akira sat in a dimly lit room across from her father, the Raikage, who sat in an ornate chair. Next to him stood a rather timid woman with long chestnut hair.

"We have to be patient, Father."

The middle-aged man impassively gazed at his daughter. "I don't like waiting."

"There's nothing more we can do at this point. We cannot afford to be hasty. All their strongest ninja are there, guarding the borders; I can't simply stride in and capture Tenten and a Hyuuga. Konoha already knows it's us who set the bacteria free. They've been sending some teams over to get the anecdote."

"At least our plan is working." He lazily glanced at his golden pocket watch. "When will a Hyuuga stop by, though? I don't want any more pestering, useless ninjas from Konoha."

"Hyuuga Hinata was sent with her team, but they all fled before I could capture her. The other ones were relatively easy to handle."

"Keep fighting off the useless ones. Keep doing so until a Hyuuga shows up—then capture him. I want that bloodline limit… Their secret needs to be exploited." His grip around the handle of his chair tightened. "I _despise_ the Hyuugas."

"Father…" Akira paused momentarily, seeing that he was beginning to tremble. Even she, his daughter, could not understand his hatred for this specific clan. "You are not in the condition to stress yourself. Perhaps it's time to go to bed?"

"Don't treat me like I'm a child."

"Your heart is weak. Shall I get someone to fetch your medicine?"

"No." He inhaled sharply, and in his raspy voice, continued, "what else have you heard?"

"Well, my sources have told me that Hyuuga Neji and his team are coming."

This piqued the Raikage's interest, for a catlike grin slowly spread across his face. "Oh? Your former teammates are coming to fight you?"

Akira's voice lowered. "I suppose so."

"Interesting. And when will we retrieve Tenten?"

"We don't have to. I heard that she is accompanying Neji on his mission." Akira's lips curved into a small smirk. "Hitting two birds with one stone."

"Oh?" For the first time in a long while, the Raikage showed a hint of satisfaction in his voice. He began chuckling, rather maniacally. "Ah, how convenient. My own daughter is coming back home. Does she know who she is yet? Did she finally break free from that stupid seal your mother placed?"

Akira felt her hands balling into fists, but was grateful nothing could really be seen in the darkness. "I don't know."

"Your mother is so foolish, Akira, thinking that a mere seal will prevent me from gaining ultimate power. Your sister is a very important key. Just like you, Akira."

The brunette couldn't help but let out a sound of frustration. She hated the way her father denounced her mother and objectified Tenten. It grated against her nerves like no other. Although she knew she had no choice but to obey her father, she wanted to punch him hard in the face.

"Is there something wrong, my child?"

"Of course not, Father."

"This is for your own good, unless you want to run back to Konoha with your little friends and keep your memories buried deep in your mind."

How dare he? He was manipulating her and using her to get whatever he wanted because he knew her memories weren't fully intact.

She, too, had lost her memories a while back. She had found herself in the middle of Konoha years ago, not knowing who she was. She was quickly found, though, by a kind man and was luckily taken in by the orphanage he owned. Despite not knowing her identity she still moved on with life; she enrolled in the academy and grew up with Gai-sensei, Lee and Neji. However, everything changed when they went on a mission to the land of lightning.

"_Akira, I can find the jutsu to break that seal of yours."_

"_How can I trust you?"_

She had only been thirteen then. Somehow, during a mission with her team, a ninja had kidnapped her and brought her to the Raikage's tower. She instantly recognised the man as her father, since she had been having visions about him. She was absolutely ecstatic to have finally met someone from her rare visions; he was the key to knowing who she was.

"_You are my precious daughter, and I don't want you to be in the dark all the time. So I will work hard to find a jutsu that will break that seal. In return, can you stay here__? I will take you under my wing and make you as strong as possible. Do you accept this offer?" _

She did, so she obeyed his commands and betrayed her team.

"_Train hard, Akira. Learn these techniques and exceed all the other kids. And when the time comes, you have to find Tenten. Tenten is the key to gaining ultimate power."_

"_Who is Tenten?"_

"_Tenten is a person."_

"_Do I know her?"_

"_Perhaps."_

Her father didn't even mention that Tenten was her own sister—she was apparently only an important person. Akira found out the truth only recently, after she came back from her failed mission in Konoha. It was rather devastating. To think that she couldn't recognise her own sister—

"Akira! Are you listening to me?"

"Sorry, Father."

The Raikage grunted in exasperation. "You must train hard, for your opponents will be somewhat familiar with your techniques. You must not get distracted—you should not care that Neji and Lee were your former teammates. If you must, you will kill them—oh wait, no. No matter what, you will bring Neji and Tenten back to me alive. I couldn't care less about the other ones. Is this understood?"

"Yes."

"Now, I shall wait patiently for the next few days. I am rather excited to see my daughter after so many years. How about you, Mirai? Don't you want to see Neji again?"

Akira refocused her attention towards the third person present in the room.

"Of course," the woman said quietly. "I haven't seen my son since he was four."

**A/N:** So, hopefully this extra long chapter makes up for the lack of updates. (I was aiming for a chapter each month… what a fail that was haha.) Anyways! So I think the story is (finally) progressing… although there's still quite a bit until the end of the story.

I shall go to bed now... it's currently three in the morning (Sunday) and today I have a piano recital (Sunday), but I somehow have to study for 2 tests (first two periods on Monday), community service after school on Monday, and I'm leaving for Washington Monday night, but I didn't even start packing yet. So... erm... yeah. Wish me luck on my piano recital! Well.. I kinda need luck for everything haha.

Thank you so much for reading & hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Love always,  
Chigiri Sasaki


	25. Chapter Twenty Five: Mission Part 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything of Naruto.

**Destined to Love**_  
By: Chigiri Sasaki _

Summary: He was a prodigy, with a damaged past and no future. She was a commoner, with a hidden secret. Strung together by fate, it was only a matter of time before she changed his life forever. [AU, NejiTen]

**Chapter Twenty Five**

_"Many years ago__, there was a ninja called Masaru. His name meant 'victory', and it fitted him quite well; he was loved by everybody, he came from a strong clan, he was smart, he was handsome, he was strong… everybody thought his life was perfect. But for Masaru, there was always something missing. He felt empty, especially whenever he saw a couple holding hands or kiss, but he couldn't figure out what it was."_

_Amaya, a little girl who had fallen ill due to the strange epidemic, laughed. "Silly Masaru. Of course it's love!"_

_"Silly Masaru," Tenten agreed, smilingly. "But he was determined to find out what this empty feeling was and how he could get rid of it. So he left Konoha and went into another village—the land of lightning. And even though he had permission to leave Konoha for a little while, he knew that he wasn't welcomed at the land of lightning because they weren't allied. So he went undercover, as a person who claimed to have lived in a rural area all his life._

_"But then he met the lord's daughter. She was beyond beautiful, with porcelain skin and soft brown eyes that were so enchanting it cast spells on the men around her. Her name was Sora, legend says, and her name meant 'sky'. That was what Masaru described her beauty as—boundless as the sky and deep as the sea. Masaru and Sora soon fell in love, and Masaru finally discovered the true feeling of love._

_"And then the Sora's father—the lord—found out about their relationship. He was angry at Sora—angry that she chose a commoner over the suitable candidate from the bird country, who could have offered an alliance along with his proposal. Of course, at that time, the lord didn't know that Masaru was part of a noble clan in Konoha. But nevertheless he still wished for his daughter's happiness, so he told Sora that his spies would follow her for the next few days to ensure her happiness and safety. He told her if Masaru harmed her in any way, then the relationship would instantly end. Sora quickly agreed to the compromise. She had no idea what would happen next._

_"The day after, while Sora and Masaru were walking alone at night, a group of unknown ninjas attacked them. Of course, Masaru used his ninja abilities and fought them off, despite knowing that he had blown his cover. That night, Sora found out that Masaru was actually supposed to be an enemy. And if that wasn't horrible enough, she realised that her father's spies must have seen everything, too."_

_The hospital background suddenly faded out and Amaya disappeared. Suddenly, Tenten felt like she was shrinking—it was either that or everything else was growing. She found herself looking at two pairs of feet. "What happened next?" she asked eagerly, looking up and gazing at two giant figures. Her voice was a lot more high-pitched than usual. _

"_Well, I loved Masaru even though I knew he was an enemy. At first, I lied to my father whenever he inquired about Masaru's background but then he found out eventually, thanks to his spies. He wanted to punish me severely for lying. And then he wanted to kill Masaru—not for being a commoner but for being an enemy." The woman sighed, smiling slightly. "Masaru didn't fight back, though." _

"_I escaped," continued the man, who was evidently Masaru. "I didn't want to make a big deal out of it. I loved Sora too much and I respected the Raikage. So I left." _

"_But a year later, my father died of old age," Sora said, smiling tightly. "Then I was able to choose whoever I wanted to marry. So I chose Masaru."_

"_That's so romantic!" Tenten cooed, clasping her hands together and smiling dreamily. "I hope I'll meet my soul mate soon."_

"_Honey," the woman laughed, "you're only seven." _

"_So?" _

Tenten opened her eyes to a dark room. Lying on her side, she stared out into the darkness. After a few moments, she finally got up, fumbled for her slippers and pulled the curtains back. It made no difference whether the curtains were pulled back or not; everything seemed to be coloured in a dark shade of grey since thick clouds covered the sky like a blanket. Sighing, she opened her closet, took out her usual attire, and hopped into the shower.

Today was possibly one of the most important days of her life. She was assigned her first official mission yesterday and she was heading out today. She had slept earlier last night to rest properly, but as usual, her sleeping was cut short due to another flashback.

She frowned and stood still, letting hot water spray against her face. Her dream was a strange one. It started off as a memory of telling Amaya a story. A few weeks back, the little blonde had complained about fairytales, saying that they were cliché and no longer interesting. So the sixteen year old offered to tell a story that happened to a citizen of Konoha. Then the dream took a turn and suddenly, Masaru and Sora were personally telling their story. What did that mean? Weren't Masaru and Sora dead by now? Tenten had always thought that they had lived a long time ago. Yet it felt oddly realistic, but so dreamlike at the same time. Was it a flashback or a simple figment of her imagination? She couldn't tell.

She pushed it aside and decided to focus on her mission. The survival of Konoha depended on this very sole mission; the simple thought of it boggled her mind. Despite being slightly deprived of sleep she felt tingly all over. This was her first mission. This was an opportunity to prove herself as a kunoichi. She wanted to prove that even though she was just a commoner that had never attended the academy, she was still a good fighter.

She frowned slightly when she realised that there were no more towels on the rack. Ever since the epidemic had started, there were fewer and fewer maids serving in the Hyuuga manor. It was understandable, since Hiashi wanted to limit every chance of contracting the disease. It was a cautious move but it did make things a little harder.

So Tenten dried herself using her sleeping gown instead and slipped on her battling outfit. Her attire that consisted of red pants and a white, long-sleeved shirt was her signature outfit. She carefully tied her hair into buns and secured it with extra pins.

By the time she walked back into her room, she noticed that it was slightly brighter. The sun had risen and was peeking through from the horizon. The next thing she noticed was Neji's shirt, folded neatly on her desk. He had lent her it the other day when she had fallen into the lake near the waterfall. Since there were no more maids coming around to clean her room, there was no one to take it away from her. It was strange, how she liked having his shirt in her room. It wasn't particularly well made or clean—in fact, it was still dirty from the time they went to the waterfall. But… she liked having it. It's not like Neji would notice anyway; he had at least ten of the same shirts.

Her eyes travelled to the corner of her desk, where a green box laid. She gingerly opened it and glanced at the necklace it contained. It was beautiful; the silver chain suspended the prettiest emerald pendant. Hiro had given this to her as a present.

The instant she thought of the Hyuuga, she felt a pang of guilt. He had spent so much money on her, yet she couldn't even accept his feelings. How could she, if he was engaged? It wouldn't be right. If there was only some way for him to be happy…

She had to give him back the necklace, she decided. It was way too expensive and a tomboyish commoner like her could never do it justice. So she closed the box, left her room and headed towards Hiro's. He answered almost immediately when she knocked on his door.

"Hi," he said rather gruffly, gazing down at her. He roughly ran a hand through his hair but there were still a few strands that stuck out. "Why are you up so early?"

"Sorry," the brunette said after realisation had dawned on her. She had been so deep in thought that she never looked to see what time it was. "I was just thinking… and here. This is rightfully yours."

"What's this?" Hiro asked, glancing down at the green velvet box. He opened to see the necklace that he had specially chosen for her. A frown immediately marred the straight line of his lips. "This is the necklace I gave you."

"Yes. I know it was expensive, and it's gorgeous and I love it but I won't ever do it justice. I haven't done anything to deserve something this nice, really. And every time I look at it I keep feeling guilty because you spent so much money on it—"

"Take it."

She watched as he placed the box back into her hands. "What?"

"Didn't I tell you last time to keep it?"

"But—"

"You clearly don't know how to accept gifts."

"Yes, I do, but this is so beautiful," Tenten protested softly, knowing that there were others sleeping in the neighbouring rooms. "And knowing that you're engaged just makes it feel… wrong. I can't take this. If it's a card, or something, then fine—"

"Look. I bought you the necklace"—he lowered his voice—"because I like you. Think of it as a token of appreciation."

"For what? I didn't do anything particularly nice to you."

"You being here is good enough."

"I'm not doing anything—"

"Just take it, alright?"

Despite his rugged look, there was nothing but sincerity surfacing in his eyes. Tenten sighed softly, managed a soft smile and said, "Fine. Thank you."

"Now can I sleep?" Hiro asked and grinned when Tenten began to apologise. "I was only kidding."

"You do need the sleep, though."

"We all do." He looked at either ends of the hallway. "Where's Neji?"

"I don't know. Why would he be here?"

"He's always where you are," Hiro replied seriously. "And he's an early riser as well."

"Then he's probably training outside."

"Right," the Hyuuga chuckled, stepping back into his room. He glanced at her with a small smile. "Good luck."

"For what, the mission?"

There was unexplainable look in his pools of ivory. "Sure, if that's what we're talking about."

* * *

The head of the Hyuuga clan stood outside in the training grounds, observing his surroundings. He lifted his gaze heavenwards, pressing his lips into a thin line when he caught sight of the grey sky. Spring seemed years away. There were tiny buds on the trees, but even those were rare. Although it never snowed anymore, the crisp winter air never really went away.

Hyuuga Hiashi had been looking for his nephew—hence the activated Byakuugan—but to no avail. It was rare that Neji wasn't here—there was hardly ever a day where he wouldn't get up early in the morning to train. Was he at the hospital? That was very probable, considering that Tenten had recently managed to get him to volunteer at the hospital. Even after Tsunade had dismissed all the ninjas to prevent them from contracting the disease, Neji still went.

Hiashi would've been ecstatic for this drastic change if it weren't for the fact that the disease was more contagious than ever; despite staying prudent, Hinata and a handful of Hyuugas were hospitalised at the moment. Most of the maids and guards were sent home as well. Neji could easily catch the disease even if he was working in the cleaner areas. The prodigy couldn't afford to be sick, as he had an important mission to go on today. On top of that, he was the future leader.

That was particularly the reason as to why Hiashi had come out here today. He wanted to discuss with his nephew about his future as the head of the clan. He wanted to firstly inform him of the contract, the responsibilities that came with being a leader, and lastly, when he was going to have the curse mark removed.

"Neji?"

Hiashi spun around to see a brunette emerging from the bushes; so he wasn't the only one looking for Neji. "Hello, Tenten."

"Oh, hi Hiashi-sama. I thought Neji would be here."

"I did as well."

"So he left? But it's still six in the morning."

"I thought he would be with you at the hospital."

"Well… I guess that's where I'm going to head next, then."

"You should tell him to come back as soon as possible," the older man advised solemnly. "I don't want him to fall ill."

Tenten nodded understandingly. "Okay."

"Make sure Neji doesn't get too reckless in general. You know him; he doesn't know his limits."

"Yeah," she replied with a soft chuckle.

"I'm counting on you to keep an eye out for him. He may not know it, but he is very important to the clan."

Tenten didn't quite know what Hiashi meant by that, but agreed anyway.

"Also," Hiashi added just before she swerved around to leave, "if I don't see you again today, good luck on your mission."

Tenten returned his gentle smile, thanked him and then left for the hospital. When she arrived there, she was slightly stunned by the state of Konoha's beloved hospital. What used to be the safest and cleanest place was now a deserted mess. There was only one receptionist at the front desk, who greeted her with an emotionless nod. The chairs in the lobby were near empty. Whoever sat there was quiet and simply stared at her as she walked by. There were no more doctors or nurses running around; had they given up? Or were they all sick?

She suppressed the urge to gag at the blood and vomit residue that stained the walls and floors. She held her breath until she reached the elevator, but to her dismay, she saw more blood on the handles. She really hoped that the extra pill she consumed today would protect her. She couldn't afford to get sick—she had a mission today. Why on Earth was Neji here? He out of everybody would want to stay healthy. Was he talking to Tsunade about the mission? Or worse, was he trying to convince Tsunade to pull her out of the team?

To her great surprise, she found Neji in Amaya's room. Both he and Amaya didn't notice her as she peeked through the blinds that were partially closed. The edges of her eyes softened. Amaya was talking animatedly—faintly but excitedly nonetheless—and Neji patiently listened. There was something awfully endearing about the two and Tenten unknowingly began staring. She wished she could hear what they were talking about.

All of a sudden, Neji stood up with a book and small trucks in his hand and opened the door. He was already outside before Tenten could find a spot to hide. "You're a terrible spy," he said simply.

"I didn't want to intrude," she protested, blushing slightly. "What are you holding?"

"Amaya's toys. She's giving them away."

"Why?"

He stared at her for a moment. "You should go inside and ask her," he said and left.

Once alone, Tenten inhaled deeply and walked into the room. She managed a big smile even when she saw how pale and frail looking Amaya was. "Hi Amaya!"

"Hi nee-chan," the little blonde cried, grinning. Her two front teeth were starting to grow in. "How are you today?"

"I'm fine. How are you feeling?"

"Well, I'm okay. I didn't sleep because I had a really bad headache but I'm okay now. You know I saw my mommy last night? I'm not sure if she was real or not, but it didn't feel like a dream."

All Tenten could manage was, "which mommy?"

"Both! And I was happy because they were holding hands and both my daddies were talking about business. It was so cool."

"And what were you doing?"

"I was playing with my friends!" Amaya's smile faltered slightly. "But it's just all in my head, right?"

"No it's not. Once you're healthy again you can do whatever you want."

"Nee-chan, do you really think everything will be okay?"

"Of course I do."

"Good. Neji-nii-san said that too, so it must be true."

Tenten smiled. "So what else did he say to you?"

"Lots of things," gushed the eight year old. "He told me about the academy, and his first tournament, and how he fought even when he thought everything was over. He told me to do the same—to be strong no matter what. He says that it'll make you sad if I die, but I don't want to make nee-chan sad so I promised him that I would stay alive until you guys bring back the cure."

Tenten remained wordless, but she felt herself choke up and her heart suddenly grew heavy. Neji came here before the crack of dawn to say this?

"Then I asked him to do me a favour," Amaya continued softly. "I know a lot of kids who are sick now but they have nothing to play with. So I asked Neji-nii-san to give my toys away. I don't play with a lot of them and they were all given to me by my friends at the academy. Now that they're sick, I want to give these presents back. And you know what, nee-chan? It feels so good to give back. Neji-nee-san said the kids all said 'thank you' and smiled a lot after they got the toys."

"That's wonderful, Amaya, really." The door opened and her gaze aligned with Neji's. The sole sight of him made her heart swell like no other. Could there be anyone more perfect than he was? Smiling softly, she mouthed to him, "thank you."

He nodded back and then turned to Amaya. "Fuji said that he'll protect the trucks forever."

Amaya giggled. "He would always come in here to play with them. Now that he's in bed like me…" She shook her head slightly. "Is there anyone else in the hallway?"

"There's a girl two doors down."

"Who's that?"

He shrugged.

"Well, can you give her this doll anyways?"

The Hyuuga prodigy wordlessly took the brand new doll from her shelf and left.

Tenten, eyebrows raised, asked, "how long has this been going on?"

"For about half an hour. I would give them the toys myself, but I can't really move my legs. Sakura-chan said that it's a side effect from the tumours in my head. She said that I'm lucky that I can even talk." She smiled a toothy grin and gestured towards her near empty shelf. There was only one book left. "Can you give me that please?"

"Sure."

"It's the book I told you I didn't like when you first came to visit me," she explained, showing Tenten the familiar cover. "I don't know. At that time, I didn't like the story because I thought the happy ending was so stupid."

"And now?"

"I want to be the one living happily ever after."

Tenten smiled tenderly and sat by the frail little girl. "You will. It just takes a while. There are real life fairytales."

"But that story you told me last time isn't a fairytale. Masaru and Sora ended up separating."

Remembering her dream, Tenten replied, "actually, I think I got the story wrong. I think… Masaru and Sora might still be alive."

"Really? But you told me that their story took place back when the first Hokage ruled Konoha! And you told me that Masaru left Sora because he didn't want to make anybody suffer. That is why it was bittersweet."

"Well, do you want to hear the story again? Except this time, there will be a happy ending."

"Okay!"

"So, a few decades back, there was a boy named Masaru. His name meant 'victory' and it fitted him quite well. Everybody loved him, he was super funny and he worked hard and always did well on missions…"

Outside, the Hyuuga prodigy eavesdropped through the door that had been left ajar. He had already given the little girl two doors down—who introduced herself as Mioko—the doll and was about to return when he heard Tenten and Amaya talking about Masaru. Any sort of talk or gossip concerning Suzuki Masaru was considered taboo nowadays, especially amongst the Hyuuga clan. Suzuki Masaru was the Raikage. He was the one who demanded for Hiashi's body years ago and he was the one killing Konoha right now.

Why was Tenten talking about him? Unless…

"He never understood the concept of love," Tenten was saying. "He thought there was a composition and formula for love, just like how there are steps to performing a jutsu."

"Silly Masaru," Amaya said, laughing. "Love just happens!"

"Right you are. But one day…"

Suzuki Masaru used to be part of the Suzuki clan, which was rather noble and known in all of Konoha. Masaru was known as a prodigy, even, but he one day decided to betray Konoha by suddenly running away. He tried coming back once but he was shunned by his own people. Shortly after, everybody in the Suzuki clan was assassinated. Everyone assumed that it was Masaru who had done the horrible act, since he was the only one strong enough and he was also considered a traitor at the time. Then he miraculously became the Raikage.

Many thought he had left in the first place because he wanted to learn more techniques. Others assumed that he had a rebellious streak. However, nobody knew exactly why Masaru had decided to betray his clan and his home.

"But then he met the lord's daughter. She was beyond beautiful, with porcelain skin and soft brown eyes that were so enchanting it cast spells on the men around her. Her name was Sora and her name meant 'sky'. That was what Masaru described her beauty as—boundless as the sky and deep as the sea. Masaru and Sora soon fell in love, and Masaru finally discovered the true feeling of love.

"And then the Sora's father—the lord—found out about their relationship. He was angry at Sora—angry that she chose a commoner over the suitable candidate from the bird country, who could have offered an alliance along with his proposal. Of course, at that time, the lord didn't know that Masaru was part of a noble clan in Konoha. But nevertheless he still wished for his daughter's happiness, so he told Sora that his spies would follow her for the next few days to ensure her happiness and safety. He told her if Masaru harmed her in any way, then the relationship would instantly end. Sora quickly agreed to the compromise. She had no idea what would happen next."

Neji narrowed his eyes. How did Tenten know all of this?

He knew what he knew because he was a Hyuuga, but even his knowledge was limited. On the other hand, Tenten was practically reciting his life as if she was reading out of a book. This could only mean that—

"Neji?" Tenten suddenly called out. "Why are you standing outside?"

He walked into the room with an emotionless face. Tenten promptly continued, "So like I was saying, Sora's father was furious. Not only had Masaru lied—he was also supposed to be an enemy!"

Neji sat quietly in the corner with his lips pressed together. So his suspicions were confirmed. Tenten really was the Raikage's daughter.

Yesterday, while they were sparring, he had noticed something strange. She had attacked him using a technique that had been unique to the Suzuki clan; he had recognised the chant from an ancient scroll that he came across one day. At first, it didn't make sense to him because there was no way Tenten could've learned that. The scrolls were locked away, the members of the Suzuki clan have been long dead and she had never received proper training.

This morning realisation finally dawned upon him. There was one remaining Suzuki member—Masaru. Tenten must have learned the technique from him when she was younger. It made sense now, because she had always told him that she knew some techniques naturally, which her body probably remembered after losing her memory.

At first, he wasn't certain because it was only a possibility. She could've been a pupil of Masaru, but what were the chances? She did bear a close resemblance to Akira, who was his daughter, and Tenten knew his whole story. It was reasonable that a daughter would know the story of how her parents met.

Tenten was the Raikage's daughter. She was the sister of Akira and the daughter of the man that all Hyuugas were supposed to hate.

He was supposed to hate Tenten, he realised as he gazed upon the animated brunette.

The question was: how could he?

It was impossible to hate her. Out of everybody, he knew what it was like to shun her. He had wanted to get rid of her so he insulted her and made the crudest remarks. Yet he actually ended up feeling guilty for insulting such a genuine person; he initially let her stay because he felt like he owed it to her. It wasn't like he minded her presence that much anyway. So he dealt with her for a little while.

Now, he actually found himself enjoying his time with her. There was something about her that made living a little more bearable. With her, each day seemed a little different, with different conversations and feelings. Back then, he would get up every morning with the sole objective to train. Every day was like a photocopy of another; he didn't like it but he didn't mind it either. Now, there was more to look forward to when he woke up now. Tenten was outspoken, intelligent and she wasn't that bad of a sparring partner either.

He had come today for her. He knew how much Amaya meant to Tenten, and he would never admit it but the little blonde had grown on him as well.

"That was a way better ending," Amaya cried after Tenten had finished the rest of the story. "I'm happy for Masaru and Sora!"

"I'm glad you liked it," the brunette replied with a smile. "See? There are real life fairytales!"

The eight year old clapped, and unknowingly Neji smiled when he saw Tenten smiling. Who cared if she was the Raikage's daughter? There would be a point in the future where things would unravel and she would probably have to leave, but until then, he didn't mind spending time with her.

Amaya, who noticed Neji gazing tenderly at Tenten, giggled softly. "Neji-nii-san, what about you?"

The Hyuuga prodigy snapped out of his reverie, looking rather dazed, which made Amaya laugh even more. "I asked you," she repeated, "if you liked the story."

"It was alright."

The little girl's eyes sparkled. "Are you grumpy because you don't have your prince?"

This made Tenten laugh wholeheartedly while Neji flatly stated, "that's stupid."

"It's okay. I'm sure Neji-nii-san has a lot of girls going after him." Her cerulean eyes twinkled as it was Tenten's turn to frown and watch Neji's reaction.

"We should get going," the Hyuuga said. "Tsunade-sama expects us to be out by eight."

"Okay," Amaya cheerfully replied, nodding understandingly. Even though she couldn't move her legs, she put her hands together and bowed her head. "Thank you so much."

"For what?"

"For helping me today, Neji-nii-san. I had a lot of stuff to bring."

Neji shook his head slightly. "It was no problem."

"And thank you, Tenten-nee-chan, for everything." She smiled faintly. "I'm just a little girl. No one ever really cares about someone like me."

"You're wrong. There are so many people who care about you. Your foster parents are here for you, always. And so am I, your fairy godmother," Tenten said gently.

"You really are like my fairy godmother, Tenten-nee-chan. Thank you. Sometimes I'm really bratty and I think that I have the worst life ever and then I cry a lot. But that's just because I forget how lucky I am—how lucky am I to have really nice foster parents that treat me like I'm their own kid. When I became sick and couldn't go to school, I threw a lot of tantrums because I hated being in the hospital because it was the most boring thing ever.

"But then I got so many presents and Sakura-chan and all the nurses are always so nice to me. Plus, Neji-nii-san and Tenten-nee-chan also come to visit me! And then I have the best time ever, so it's not so bad after all. I think I'm very lucky, but sometimes I just can't help but cry. I really am grateful so don't think badly of me, okay?" Suddenly, she began to cough uncontrollably but seemed unfazed even she saw the blood on her hands. She quickly wiped them on the bedspread and told Tenten to sit down when she insisted to go find a doctor. "I'm okay, really."

"Are you sure?"

"I cough all the time and it's not like doctors can make it stop. Besides, everyone has to go through this. I'm not going to be the weak one that needs the most help. I will be strong. Then, once I'm all better I can train super duper hard and then I'll be strong just like Neji-nii-san!"

"Then you defeat him in battle," Tenten added, partially laughing and blinking back tears.

"That would be so cool," Amaya gushed, clapping but her hands were too weak to make an audible noise. "What do you say, Neji-nii-san?"

"I gladly accept that challenge," the Hyuuga replied, one corner of his lips rising. "I won't go easy on you."

"Neither will I," giggled Amaya. She yawned and laid back into her bed.

"You're tired," Tenten stated, pulling the covers over the little eight year old. "And it's still so early in the morning."

"But I'm not tired! I just"—she yawned again—"didn't sleep well last night."

"Sleep well now, okay? And before you know it, we'll be back with the cure, okay?"

Amaya peered at Tenten with her big, bright cerulean eyes. "What do nee-chan and nii-san want? I just realised I gave away all my books and toys without asking if you guys wanted something."

"It's alright, Amaya. You don't have to give us anything."

"I wish I could repay you. You're always nice to me and you help me and you tell me stories… I wish I had the nicest things to give you. You too, Neji-kun. One day, I will own a sword shop and make the nicest katana for you!"

The Hyuuga prodigy gave her a tiny smile. "That would be greatly appreciated."

"You're going to grow up to be such a generous person," Tenten said softly, petting the little blonde's hair. "Now, we're really going to go, okay?"

"Okay, promise to stay safe!"

"We'll try to be," Tenten laughed. "Don't forget, I still owe you that third wish. I promise you that I will get the cure and you're going to live."

The eight year old shook her head and smiled faintly. "Tenten-nee-chan?" she whispered before they turned around to leave. "Can I change my wish? I finally have one that I'm happy with."

The brunette stopped, slightly confused, but nodded nonetheless. "Sure."

"Okay," Amaya said, clasping her hands together and closing her eyes. A little, innocent smile graced her lips. In a voice that drifted off, she mumbled, "I wish that…"

Tenten smiled tenderly when she heard Amaya's soft snores. She gently removed Amaya's bangs from her face. Then she finally looked up, glanced at her companion and inhaled deeply. Her heart seemed to be aching in all sorts of ways. "Let's do this," she breathed.

They left the room together. Their shoulders brushed as they walked side by side and for a long while, Tenten couldn't speak. Her thoughts were jumbled and the emotions were almost too overwhelming to handle. There was so much counting on this mission. She had to succeed, but she honestly didn't know if she could. So many things could happen and she would have to overcome every obstacle—failure was not a possibility. Amaya, and Fuji, and Hinata, and Shikamaru, and Chouji and everybody else had to live. If this mission were to fail, then Konoha would be finished.

Tenten inhaled deeply in an attempt to lessen the load on her shoulders. Finally, she asked, "so what time did you get here?"

"Five."

"You woke up especially early to see her?"

"I couldn't sleep anyway."

"But you could've gotten sick and everything—"

Neji shrugged. "I could get sick anywhere."

Her voice wavered slightly. "Thank you."

"I know how much she means to you. Besides, she needs to stay alive. If she dies, then you're going to mourn and I don't want to deal with your tears again."

She managed a quiet laugh. "You're such a typical boy."

Neji suddenly stepped in front of her, causing them to both stand still in the middle of the hallway. His eyes seemed to explore the depths of hers. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"W-what do you mean? Of course I want to do this."

"You can stay here with Amaya."

"No way. I chose to go on this mission."

"There's something—" He paused and turned around. She didn't need to know the truth just yet. "Never mind, let's go."

"Wait, Neji! What were you going to say?"

"It's nothing important."

* * *

The meeting area before a mission was typically at Konoha's entrance, and today was no exception. All eight assigned ninjas were to meet here to discuss their plans before heading out. Hiro was the first to arrive and promptly noticed the absence of the two usual guards; they must have fallen sick, as Kakashi and Gai were now supervising the gates. By the time Neji and Tenten arrived, Lee was already chattering away excitedly with Gai, and the rest of the team—which consisted of Kiba, Hiro, Shino and Sasuke—simply watched with raised eyebrows. Naruto was the only one missing.

"That idiot," muttered Uchiha Sasuke, shoving his hands in his pockets. "We all slept early last night for a reason."

"Sasuke," Kakashi said airily, reading a very questionable book, "you're too hard on Naruto."

"No I'm not. He's always the reason why we're late."

Lee turned away from Gai momentarily. "Naruto-kun will show up eventually!"

As if on cue, a loud yell resounded in the otherwise quiet air. "Sorry guys, I'm running as fast as I can!"

They all turned to see the constantly energetic blond running—and surprisingly enough Sakura was running beside him. They were both carrying small backpacks but Naruto had an additional bag; anybody who knew Naruto at all would know that it contained cups of instant noodles.

"Sakura!" Tenten greeted with a large smile. "I thought Tsunade-sama needed you to take care of patients."

"She knew I wanted a breath of fresh air," replied the pink-haired kunoichi. Her eyes were noticeably sunken in. "Besides, it's not like people are going to get better just because I stay. She finally realised that there's no way to heal them without the cure. She figured that it would be way more beneficial if I joined you guys, since I'm medically trained and all." She stifled a yawn. "So, did you guys appoint a leader yet?"

Normally the leader would be a Jounin. Out of the nine ninjas present, Neji and Hiro were the only ones that possessed the title; they glanced at each other. "No, we didn't," Hiro said.

"Well, I spoke to Tsunade-sama and she said that Hiro should be the leader, since he's the oldest and therefore the most experienced. Also, she wanted me to remind you guys that we have to rest well, stay alert, dress warmly, that kind of stuff."

"The old granny," Naruto sighed. "She keeps treating us like little kids."

"Shut up Naruto," Sakura retorted. "This is really important. If we get sick, then it's the end of Konoha. Do you want that?"

Shino cleared his throat. "Sakura-san, has Tsunade-sama figured out how the bacteria enters the human body?"

"Yes, I was actually getting to that." Her eyes were uncharacteristically lifeless and she eerily resembled a doctor who had been dealing with patients all her life. "For the past month, we had been focusing more on the cure than anything else. How the bacteria were able to spread so quickly was always a little vague. We had dismissed it, thinking it was simply airborne and only noticed that people who were weaker would fall ill faster than those who were healthy. That's why Tsunade-sama made those pills; they are only pills that contain vitamins and minerals to hopefully strengthen the immune system.

"Last night, Tsunade-sama finally saw the bacteria in its true form outside the body—they're actually little bugs that are so tiny they are almost invisible to the naked eye. They crawl into your pores and use either your chakra flow or your blood to propel itself to your brain. If your body manages to fight it off before it gets there, then you're safe. If even a little bug invades your brain, then it starts growing and results in that moving blob that we see in our x-rays.

"The bacteria can also survive outside the body—the ones we captured and put into little capsules are still alive." She put out her hand and faintly expelled a bit of chakra from her palm. "This is how we can prevent the bugs from entering. If you release chakra from your pores, they can't go in. Also, make sure your toes and hands aren't exposed because they are easily accessible and therefore susceptible to the disease."

Shino seemed a little disturbed by this information. As a bug user, he was accustomed to having bugs crawling about in his body. "Should I be extra cautious?"

"Yeah," Naruto agreed, "what if he lets in a bunch of those bacteria thingies by mistake?"

"Then… I don't know," Sakura replied, smiling tightly. "We have to be extra careful when we're fighting. They can release bugs anytime and we don't want to come in contact with them."

This information was valid, Sakura thought. Or, at least, this is what all the remaining doctors agreed on last night. She stared pointedly at Naruto, who was now rummaging through his bag for a snack. He was the only one that had ever gone on a mission related to this issue and had come back unaffected by the disease. He was injured from fighting Akira, but he didn't fall ill like everybody else. Everybody else was hospitalised by now; why was Naruto still healthy and energetic as ever? Did he possess something special that nobody else did?

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto inquired, swiping at his cheeks. "Is there something on my face?"

"No, it's nothing."

"Okay," Naruto cheerfully replied. "Let's go!"

"Yes, but we need to plan first," Hiro said. "We have to travel strategically. The strongest will be in the front and back. Since I'm the leader and know the way, I will head first. Shino and Kiba will go after me. Lee, Sakura and Tenten will go in the third row, with Sakura in the middle. She's our only medically trained ninja, and she's the most sleep deprived, so she'll be in he middle. Naruto and Sasuke will go behind the three. Neji will be the last one and he has to stay on the lookout." He glanced at the other Hyuuga. "I'll use my Byakuugan to scan the front; you can use yours to see everything behind us."

"Fine," was Neji's curt reply.

And once everybody confirmed that they were ready, they went into their positions and sprang off, leaving behind a cloud of dust, smoke and sand. Gai and Kakashi watched as their students sped off. There was a certain nostalgic sadness that came with watching them go; they used to be young children who needed adult supervision. After a while of reminiscing, Gai asked his long-time companion, "Kakashi, do you think they'll come back safely?"

"These kids are strong," the grey-haired man said, peering up from his book, "but I don't know."

* * *

The team consisting of nine skilled ninjas went from tree to tree at a relatively fast speed; they couldn't go too fast, simply because they needed to conserve their energy, Tenten wasn't accustomed to the amount of running and Sakura was exhausted from the lack of sleep. Furthermore, they were running against the current of the wind. This could prove to be a disadvantage in the long run, but it also allowed Neji to hear Naruto especially clearly.

"Neji," Naruto said, still looking ahead. "Hey, can you hear me?"

"Yes. What is it?"

"Hinata," Naruto started off boldly, but then trailed off. "Uh… she's sick right now."

"I'm aware of that."

"I'm worried."

The prodigy who trailed the blond raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything else.

"Well, I visited her this morning."

Neji pressed his lips together, pensive. Naruto was often considered as Konoha's loud and obnoxious fool, but he was also genuine and had nothing but good intentions. Despite the fact that outsiders were generally frowned upon by the Hyuuga clan, Neji could see the blond and Hinata being together. After all, Naruto seemed to have taken a liking to her and she had always been infatuated with him.

Naruto wasn't sure as to whether he should continue or not. "She was really scared because she started to hallucinate. I couldn't leave her until she fell asleep, which is why I was late."

Neji could see Sasuke turning his head in surprise.

"And," Naruto continued when he received no answer, "I was just wondering if… maybe… she likes me back?"

Sasuke made a sound that resembled both a snort and a scoff but quickly masked it with an impassive expression. Meanwhile, Neji shook his head, muttering, "Naruto, you are incredibly dense."

"What do you mean?" Naruto turned his head, subconsciously watching the branches as they continued from tree to tree. "Does that mean that she possibly…"

"Yes!" Tenten exclaimed before she could help herself. Seeing that everybody had now focused their attention on her, she laughed meekly and waved it off. "Eh, I'm a bit loud sometimes."

Lee, who noticed the conversation going on behind him, exclaimed, "Gai-sensei always says that we have to be alert when we're on missions! But what are we talking about?"

"Naruto's wondering if Hinata likes him back," Sakura explained, hiding a smile.

Naruto suddenly felt sweaty and embarrassed—his cheeks flamed up and he scratched his head awkwardly. "Hey wait!" he exclaimed suddenly. "How come everybody knows but I don't?"

"Cause you're an idiot," Sasuke replied instantly.

"Stop calling me that!"

"But you are."

"Why you, I'm going to kick your butt!"

"You never actually carry out your threats. Actually, I believe you can't."

Their bantering meandered on until Hiro ordered them to quiet down. After everyone settled down, they wordlessly continued passing through the forest. Naruto briefly turned to look at Neji. Quietly, he asked, "do you think her father will approve of me?"

"No." Then, as if realising the harshness of his tone, he added, "Hiashi-sama won't mind as much as the elders."

"So I don't stand a chance."

"Haven't you two already been sneaking around in the morning?"

"How did you know?"

"I know everything."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Wait, so you told your uncle?"

"No. It's none of my business."

"But aren't you supposed to be responsible and super protective of your cousin?"

"You're already protecting her," Neji said, "and I'm not particularly fond of being the bad guy."

And that was the end of this conversation. Tenten, who had been eavesdropping the entire time, smiled to herself.

They eventually reached an area of the forest where there were trees that seemed to be unaffected by the winter season. There was an increasing amount of green leaves everywhere, which didn't go by unnoticed by the teens. "I haven't seen leaves in the longest time," Naruto wondered aloud.

"There are leaves because the land of lightning is located south of Konoha," Kiba explained, and Akamaru barked in accordance. "But even so, I have no idea why our winter is so long this year."

"At least it's raining instead of snowing," Sakura added half-heartedly.

"Maybe it's all in our head," Sasuke said. "It seems longer because we naturally associate spring with growth and rebirth—"

"And right now everyone's sick," the pink-haired kunoichi finished bluntly.

The nine ninjas, looking rather wistful, continued along silently until the skies began to darken. Tenten prayed that they were going to stop soon—not that she was physically tired, but she was getting mentally tired after six straight hours of nothingness. She glanced at Sakura, who then turned and smiled, but both didn't end up saying anything. The brunette inwardly sighed and continued along. Neji was running behind her, so she couldn't exactly turn around and talk to him and still maintain her speed. She had to focus, and eventually, they would take a rest. They were advised to do so anyway.

Finally, Hiro, who was at the front of the pack, raised his arm and called out, "It's time to stop."

The entire team stopped promptly and Naruto was the first to speak after they landed on the ground. "Whew, that was a long journey! I'm starving!"

Sakura dropped her bag on the dirt and rotated her shoulders. "I guess we'll start eating."

"How much did we pack?" Shino asked. "We could consider hunting."

"No, that would require starting a fire to cook the meats," Hiro said. "A fire emits smoke and it makes it easy for any enemy to track us down. We'll cook only if we have to. Until then, we can eat the packaged food. Lee-san? Kiba-san? Can we gather all the food?"

"Sure."

"I brought ramen!" Naruto cried with a sunny smile, proceeding to dump approximately ten cups of instant noodles in the pile of food.

"I brought lots of food as well!" Lee exclaimed, pulling out various cartons of all sizes. "I brought cookies and water and dried fruit and—"

Before he could finish, Naruto grabbed three cartons and ran behind a tree to eat.

"Idiot," Sasuke muttered and then proceeded to get whatever he wanted.

The night continued on as the hungry ninjas ate their meal. Almost all instantly gobbled down their foods, except for the two prodigies who ate neatly and Shino who barely ate at all.

"Shino, aren't you hungry?" Tenten had asked during their dinner.

"Shino doesn't eat a lot in general," Kiba responded for his companion, and beside him Akamaru greedily chewed on some dog food that Kiba had brought on the side. The boy messily wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "I have no idea how he manages to feed all those bugs."

By the end of the hour, they had devoured everything that was edible. They were all leaned against trees with their legs crossed, and their bags were high up in the trees to avoid attracting bears and whatnot. Hiro glanced at the team and sighed when he saw that more than half of them were already falling asleep. "I'll stay on the lookout tonight," he stated.

"Thank you," Sakura said gratefully. Out of everybody, she needed the sleep the most.

"I'll stay up too!" Lee exclaimed immediately.

The pink-haired kunoichi smiled tenderly at the green-clad boy, who then beamed. Sasuke let out a barely audible sigh; Tenten, who caught all three ninjas' expressions, suppressed a smile.

"Lee, you should sleep. Everybody needs to rest properly," the leader of the team said. "We have another day of travelling tomorrow."

So the rest of the team readjusted their bodies into the most comfortable position and closed their eyes, ready to receive their well needed sleep. Tenten sat next to Neji; he was so still she wasn't sure whether he was alive or not. Eventually she felt her lids lowering themselves and drifted off to sleep. Well, she wasn't sure whether she was sleeping or not because her dream was oddly realistic. She was basically running through the forest again with the rest of her team. Neji was beside her this time, and the rest of the gang was behind them.

All of a sudden, the branch snapped under her foot.

Tenten's head jerked and she woke up with an aching back—hard ground wasn't the most comfortable surface to sleep on. It was dark and still. Soft pale moonlight lit up her surroundings; everyone was fast asleep, except for Hiro who remained awake. He immediately noticed her. "Can't sleep?" he whispered. His eyes were exceptionally light in comparison to the dark.

"It's kind of hard to," she whispered back.

There was a quiet chuckle. "You'll get used to it."

Crickets were faintly heard in the background but were interrupted by Naruto's obnoxious snoring. Tenten smiled softly. "It's a beautiful night."

"You are far more beautiful," he replied, looking directly at her.

Tenten immediately ducked her head down and held her breath. She didn't like where this conversation was going. Maybe, if she just pretended to fall asleep—

"I tried," he said, seemingly unaware of the seven other sleeping figures. "I just can't help but wonder what life would be like without the engagement."

He was met with silence yet again, but he stayed persistent. "And I keep thinking of you."

"Why?" Tenten demanded quietly, looking up.

"I know it's crazy, and I don't know why, but I just do. You're something different, and knowing that I can't have you makes me wonder even more."

"You're not supposed to want someone just because they're unobtainable."

"But I do. It has always been believed that we should follow our hearts." He paused and stared straight into her eyes; even though he was sitting a good ten feet away from her, she felt slightly intimidated. "You told me to fight for what I want."

"You have it all wrong!" Tenten placed as much emphasis on her words as possible without waking up the others. "You don't want me. What you want is the idealised version of me. You think I'm so great but I'm really not. I'm just human; I have lots of faults. You haven't seen me in my weakest times, when I'm crying or when I really need help—"

"And what, Neji has?"

The brunette's eyes immediately flickered over to Neji and sighed in relief when she saw that his eyes were still closed. "Neji has nothing to do with this," she replied quietly. "Why can't you just drop this?"

"Because," he replied, standing up, "I feel like there is hope. I am a man with pride and honour, so it's rather difficult for me to say this." He carefully stepped over the others' legs and went down on his knees when he was in front of her. "You may call me mad, peculiar or maybe even plain desperate, but please, just hear me out. I'm considered one of the most honourable Hyuugas out there. I'm part of the main family and I might even be considered to take Hiashi's spot once he gets too old. To others, I have a lot to look forward to in life but I can't help but feel that I need freedom more than anything else. I can give up everything for it." He reached over to her hands and held them in his large ones. "I see both of us together, in the near future—"

Upon impulse, Tenten broke free of his grip and slapped him. The sharp sound echoed in the still night. "Get a hold of yourself!"

Her unintentionally loud yell caused everyone to spring awake. They all expected an intruder and were ready to fight, but had instead opened their eyes to a rather peculiar situation; Tenten was in her original spot, looking rather annoyed and embarrassed, but more guilty than anything else. In front of her was Hiro in a kneeling position, and his head was turned to the right due to the impact of the slap.

"What happened?" Kiba inquired, dropping his hands.

"Yeah," Sakura said, "I thought we were being assaulted."

"Well, someone was being assaulted," Neji muttered, so quietly that only Tenten could hear. She tensed; did he hear everything?

"Nothing happened," Hiro finally said, recovering from the shock. He stood up, dusted his pants off and walked back to where his bags were. "Everybody, go back to bed."

"If I can," Naruto grumbled, plopping back to the ground. "I thought there was an attacker, but it's just Tenten and Hiro."

Lee's eyes widened in realisation. "Oh no! What if they were—"

"No they weren't," Neji interposed curtly. "However, someone doesn't seem to know how to take a hint."

"Someone's in denial," Hiro retorted instantly.

The boy with the bowl cut hair looked back and forth between Tenten, Neji, and Hiro. "I sense so much tension!"

Tenten laughed as casually as she could but made sure to avoid both Hyuugas' gazes. She sat back down. "So let's go back to sleep!"

"I hope so," Shino said quietly, crossing his legs again. His shades were still on despite the fact that the sun had long gone down; when asked why, he simply replied, "I wear them so people can't tell whether I'm awake or asleep."

Everyone but Hiro attempted to sleep again to regain their energy. Their energy and immune system had to be in tiptop condition; after all, their own survival was instrumental to the survival of Konoha. So they slept for an extra hour—they were going for two more, but it was suddenly interrupted by Hiro's yell. His tone was rarely ever frantic, but this time it was surprisingly full of panic. "Everyone, wake up!"

They all woke up to see a sheet of black covering the floor—after a moment, to their horror, they realised that it actually consisted of many bugs. They were microscopic; if it weren't for the fact that they were moving, they would've simply looked like ashes. They came from one side and began to engulf Akamaru and Shino's foot.

Sakura snapped out of her reverie and cried urgently, "everyone, expel chakra immediately from your body and run south!"

Both Hyuugas had already expertly released chakra from every pore of their body, as they specialised in doing so. Tenten grabbed her bag from the trees—where the bugs had not reached yet—and sprang off, trying her best to expel chakra but wasn't sure how successful she was at it. Everybody else had been taught to control their chakra since they were in the academy. However, while most of them escaped, the bugs had come from one direction and they briefly came in contact with Shino and Akamaru.

"Akamaru!" Kiba exclaimed, and the dog jumped into his arms.

Despite having been in contact with the bugs, everyone sprinted southwards. They were now completely alert and their bodies were tense, ready to fight if anything else were to happen. Hiro, whose Byakuugan was activated, was keeping an eye on the bugs that they had left behind. The creatures remained in the same spot but then disappeared in a moment when a figure suddenly appeared with a large jar. The seventeen year old Hyuuga frowned. "Someone was there to release the bugs."

"How did you not see him?" Kiba demanded, hugging Akamaru as they continued running.

"So much for the Byakuugan," Sasuke muttered.

"That person knew Hiro was watching," Neji stated. "He or she must have used gengjutsu and put us all in an illusion. We didn't know we had to escape until the bugs reached us."

Lee's eyes were wide. "Could it be Akira?"

"I don't know."

"The bugs," Sakura intoned, her face paling. "They came in contact with us."

Hiro turned to the pink-haired kunoichi and grimly asked, "How long?"

She knew he meant the incubation period of the disease. "If these bugs are the same ones that had been released in Konoha, then those infected will have approximately three to four hours until they start showing symptoms."

"Is it contagious?"

"No. The bugs need to physically enter your body." Sakura's tone was worried. "Should some of us head back?"

"No. We don't know exactly who had contracted the disease."

"I think I did," Shino spoke up, eyes troubled.

"Akamaru was covered in them," Kiba added, his brows knitted together.

Hiro's eyes lowered. "We can't possibly sit and wait for three hours. If anyone turns out to be sick, then they'll return home on their own. Until then, we have to continue." And the Hyuuga sped up, causing all the others to follow suit. The sun was starting to peek from the horizon.

* * *

It was raining hard that morning in Konoha. Leiko sat under the porch at the entrance of the Hyuuga manor; through the main gates, she could see a few people scurrying down the streets, desperately shielding their eyes and heads with their bare hands. The heavy rainfall hadn't been mentioned in the daily weather forecast; the vicious sheets that came down suddenly had everybody drenched within moments.

The loud showers had begun during the middle of the night. Once she heard the rain, Leiko woke up and wasn't able to fall back asleep afterwards. So she came out instead to get some fresh air. She inhaled deeply. There was something calming about the scent of rain.

Due to the epidemic, she noticed absentmindedly, there were no more guards guarding the Hyuuga gates. Frankly, Leiko did not understand why such a prestigious clan needed security in the first place—every clan member was perfectly capable of putting up a fight.

The violet-haired beauty sighed softly, cupping her chin in her hands. Neji was gone. Her future fiancé was sent on a mission with the woman he probably loved. There was everything wrong about that situation, and as Hanabi had repeatedly suggested, Leiko should feel threatened. However, she couldn't bring herself to feel jealous. There was something very likeable about Neji and Tenten. Their relationship was simple yet sweet. Whether they admitted it or not, it was apparent that they liked each other.

Truth to be told, Leiko felt happier than anything else. If Neji liked Tenten enough, then he wouldn't agree to an engagement with some other girl. Then she would have the perfect excuse to return back to her own country and marry the man she truly loved.

If it were only that easy.

Leiko wouldn't know what to say to her father if she failed at such an easy task. Marrying Neji wasn't life threatening, nor was it unappealing—if anything, having Hyuuga Neji as a husband would be an honour. Then she would be referred to as "Hyuuga Leiko". She would have the money, the honour and the respect, and ultimately her father would be satisfied. Everything about her marriage to Neji was perfect. She would only have to sacrifice her happiness—and Neji's, and Tenten's, and Izanami's.

She wanted to yell in frustration. Was she really going to be that selfish and be the source of everyone's unhappiness? Or was she going to dishonour her family name and a father who did everything in his power to make her happy?

She felt her vision blurring and tears slowly fell from the corner of her eyes. She didn't bother to swipe at them, as she was already wet from the rain anyway. She clamped her eyes tightly. If she could only wish for a miracle…

"Leiko."

Leiko smiled slightly at Izanami's voice. She was hearing things now, but at this point she didn't even care because she missed him so much.

"Leiko! It's me!"

Said girl finally opened her eyes, and she suddenly had the urge to cry when she saw the man she loved standing behind the Hyuuga gates.

The tall brunet was completely drenched, but he didn't seem to pay any attention to that. "Leiko, why are you ignoring my letters?"

She was hallucinating; that was it. Her heart wanted to see him so badly that this—this perfect man was conjured but he was nothing more than a figment of her imagination. What were the chances that he would be here the day she decided to sit outside? What were the chances that there wasn't a guard to stop him? What were the chances that he was let into Konoha when Tsunade strictly limited the amount of visitors?

"Leiko, I love you. I love you so much. Please don't leave me."

She was probably sick—she felt feverish now that she thought about it. Despite being under the porch, there was a considerable amount of rain that hit her. She probably needed a hot bath, and some sleep, and then she would fully wake up when the sun was shining bright again. She would feel better then.

She glanced once more at the figure at the gates, took a deep breath and entered the Hyuuga mansion.

* * *

For the nine teenage ninjas, running was very unnerving. There was the constant knowledge that they could be attacked at any moment, so everyone had to stay wide awake even though they had not slept very well. It was even more unsettling knowing that in a few hours, they would find out whether or not they had contracted the disease that threatened the very core of Konoha. There was a chance that they had all survived—after all, they had all remained healthy back in Konoha. Sakura had also mentioned that white blood cells could fight off the bugs.

Tenten bit her lip, trying to imagine a good outcome. This mission was already hard enough as it was, hence the many assigned ninjas. If the team lost a few members, then the task of retrieving the antidote would be that much harder. For the first time, she fully realised the graveness of their predicament. When she was younger, she had always assumed that missions would be hard but they would all turn out fine because there would be an adult to help them. If anything, she thought that missions were there to prove one's strength and abilities. Succeeding at a mission meant victory, glory, and respect from others.

This time, there was no adult or protector. It was just the team, and some of them were going to fall sick. Then the rest had to face the enemies by themselves. Mistakes weren't acceptable; failure was intolerable. There were no more words of reassurance or encouragement between the members because it was like they had all silently accepted the truth: they were most likely going to fail.

Without noticing, she started to trail behind the rest. She didn't realise when Neji slowed down to run next to her.

"Are you tired?"

The inquiry made her notice the gap between her and the others. She was tired, but she wasn't going to admit that. She sped up.

"The bugs didn't touch you, did they?"

Tenten craned her neck to look at him. Was there actually a hint of worry in his tone? "I don't think they did."

"Good."

Their steps were synchronised; when she jumped off a branch, he jumped off a branch. Although the two were behind the rest of the group, the distance between them never changed. From time to time, Tenten would look all around her to make sure that there was no attacker. The third time she did this, she met eyes with Neji. She smiled timidly and swallowed the lump in her throat. "I'm scared."

"It's only natural."

"Are you scared?"

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't," he answered in a quiet voice, "but it's part of being a ninja. You can't let fear hinder your performance or get in the way of accepting future missions. There is no such thing as a safe mission with a secured outcome. Your life is constantly on the line and you simply have to fight for it."

"What if one of us dies?"

"You act as if you've never thought about this before."

"I have," Tenten protested. "I mean, it's an honour to die in battle and it's always right to fight for what you believe in. But when I really think about dying at sixteen… I don't know."

"I won't let you die," he murmured. His arms were tingling; he had this strange instinct to hold her. He ignored it and looked up ahead. "You're naïve and often clueless, but you can fight."

Tenten felt a strange sense of relief when she looked deep into his eyes. "Thank you," she whispered.

He didn't say anything then and she found herself trying to find something else to say. She felt calmer and safer when she heard his voice. Quickly, after remember last night, she blurted out, "Why do you hate Hiro so much?"

There was a pause and Neji's eyes suddenly grew cold. "He acts like he's free to do whatever he wants when there are clearly boundaries."

"He told me he liked me last night," Tenten stated stiffly.

"I heard."

"What do you mean, you heard?"

"I heard the conversation."

"Why didn't you interrupt?"

"I've tried before, but to no avail. I figured it was best if you stood up for yourself." He smirked slightly, recalling the sharp slap. "It was funny."

Tenten gawked at the incredulity of the situation and circumstances; she couldn't bring herself to believe that Neji had eavesdropped on her conversation and was actually finding humour in it all. "Yeah, well, I have my dignity and I do consider myself to be an ethical person. I could never accept his advances."

"Good."

"One more question. Why do you call him "Hiro-sama"?"

"I don't call him that anymore," Neji replied shortly. "I have lost the little respect that I have for him. However, in the presence of the elders, I will have to properly address him."

"Does he have some sort of special status?" Suddenly remembering the Hyuuga heiress as well, Tenten added, "You also add the termination to Hinata's name."

"They are both part of the main household."

"The Hyuuga clan is split into two families?" Tenten asked, surprise flickering in her eyes.

Neji raised an eyebrow, for he had thought that she would've known something like this. On his own, he would never bring up a topic like this, but surely Hinata or Hiro or even Hiashi would've explained this to her. He briefly looked ahead; the others were well out of earshot. "I'm part of the branch family. They have priority over me. My job is to protect them no matter what."

Tenten found this hard to digest. "What determines your status?"

"Nothing. My father was Hiashi-sama's twin. However, he was born second and was therefore put into the branch family."

"So, that means your father died protecting Hiashi-sama because he's a member of the main household."

His eyes were distant but they were no longer cold. "No, he sacrificed himself because Hiashi is his brother. My father opted for his own death." After a pause, he added, "I didn't know until recently."

Tenten's voice was soft. "How old were you?"

"Four."

So Neji's mother left him at the age of four, and then later that year his father died. She felt her eyes mist over; she couldn't imagine the pain and trauma he had to go through at such a young age. She was beginning to see why Neji had grown to be so cold. Who wouldn't after a childhood without parents? It didn't seem likely that the other Hyuugas would take Neji under their wing despite being in the same clan.

"Is something wrong?" Neji asked.

"No, nothing's wrong," she replied, realising that she was being more sentimental than he was over his own affairs. "Well, being in the branch family doesn't make you any less of a person."

"Thank you," he replied with a slight smile.

Tenten felt something fluttering in her stomach when she saw his smile; he was impossibly handsome. There was something about his light eyes, and dark hair and sharp profile that made her knees feel weak. She wished that this moment could've lasted longer, but then there was a sudden cry from Kiba, who was all the way in the front. "Akamaru isn't acting normal!"

They all came to a stop and gathered around Kiba and his dog. "Akamaru! Hey buddy, are you okay?"

Akamaru had his eyes closed; instead of barking back in response to its owner, it remained silent and began to shiver instead. "Akamaru—" Kiba stopped halfway and started to cough. Specks of blood appeared on his arm and he groaned. "Crap."

"I can't see too well," Shino muttered almost angrily. Despite his sunglasses, the strain was apparent on his face as he clutched his forehead.

"Kiba and Shino," Hiro directed, "you two will head back to Konoha. You can't fight in this state."

"Should someone accompany them?" Sakura asked. "Kiba and Shino can lose their sense of orientation due to the massive headaches. I've treated a couple of patients that also became partially paralyzed from the disease. In the worst case scenario, Shino and Kiba could lose the ability to run and then they'll die in the middle of nowhere."

Hiro's eyes were emotionless. "We can't give up another member. We're already at enough of a disadvantage with them gone."

Before someone could say something else, Sasuke fell to his knees and began coughing uncontrollably. By now, Sakura had gotten used to the sound of a dry and hollow cough but somehow, hearing it from Sasuke's mouth made her blood run cold. She felt tears springing up to her eyes. Sasuke couldn't be sick. He was always healthy, always training, always…

"Sasuke's going too then," Hiro said, sounding rather irked. Sasuke was undoubtedly one of the stronger ninjas.

"I'm going to accompany them," Sakura announced. "I'm not letting them go on their own."

Naruto had a feeling that Sakura was going solely for the Uchiha prodigy, but didn't voice that thought aloud. "You shouldn't go. We need a medically trained ninja."

"There is no way that we can complete this mission with only five ninjas," Hiro added solemnly.

"I should go instead," Tenten offered. "I'm the weakest out of us all."

"Tenten-chan!" Lee exclaimed, shaking his head. "Don't ever degrade yourself like that. If Sakura-san wants to go, then she should go. Sasuke-san, Shino-san and Kiba-san will need her help."

"But—"

"I'm honestly really tired," added Sakura, and the exhaustion was apparent in her eyes. "I doubt I can fight in this state. I'm only here to heal you guys… Tenten, Tsunade-sama chose you for a reason. She wasn't sure at first, but she's never wrong."

"Are you sure? Because I can—"

"Just stay," Neji said.

Hiro seemed rather irritated and swerved around. "Fine. Sakura, you can bring the three back to Konoha. If you encounter an enemy of any sort, good luck."

Sakura smiled slightly, putting her arm around Sasuke's shoulders. "We're only going back home. No one is going to oppose against that."

"Whatever you say," the older Hyuuga said. His tone remained curt, even after the four jumped off to return home. "Now, since we're only five, we are going to travel one after another. I will lead the way. Lee goes second, Tenten is in the middle, Naruto follows her, and Neji is last. This is going to be a lot harder now that we're only five. We have to stay alert at all times. Understand?"

"Yes," the remaining four said in unison, and started to run again.

* * *

It was a festive night in the land of lightning. There were few clouds and the moon hung low in the sky. Down below, the streets were illuminated by various lanterns of all different sizes and colours. Fellow citizens flooded the streets; everybody was celebrating this annual event despite the chilly weather. Restaurants remained open and so did all the stores and boutiques. The streets were filled with sounds of laughter and animated chatter.

Located somewhere far away was the Raikage's sombre tower. The area was much quieter up north, as the aging man hated loud commotions and preferred to live in a quiet region. He had cleared out the neighbouring houses a while back. At the moment, he was in his usual office and his daughter and three other ninjas were surrounding him.

The Raikage, who also went by Suzuki Masaru, was staring at a capsule the size of his hand. His eyes glimmered with satisfaction. "It's about time that I used this creation."

Akira's exterior bore no emotion but inwardly wanted to gag staring at the jar of dark and slimy bugs. They were very small in circumference—to fit into pores—but were also long enough to cover her foot. There were at least hundreds of them trapped in the glass capsule.

She wished her father would change his mind. He had been working on this particular bug for as long as she could remember. It was the ultimate weapon—no person would be able to repel it. The ones they had previously released were harmless compared to this… this _thing_. It was far too dangerous; even though she personally was immune to them she still didn't want to be near the capsule. Anyone who came into contact with the bug would die within three days flat.

"Sir, are we going to attack again?" asked a burly man in a gruff voice.

"Why, of course. There are still unwanted people on the squad."

"Isn't this a little rash?" Akira asked, a little hesitantly. "Father, Tenten is in this group. You might kill her if this bug is released."

"Tenten won't be harmed, no matter what." He sighed somewhat nonchalantly and satisfyingly. "The strong spirit that you and she both possess will easily repel any foreign and harmful objects—bugs included."

"What about Neji? I thought you wanted him alive."

"We will simply release them when he's slightly farther away from the rest. If the bugs choose to attack him, then… oh well." He smiled rather spitefully. "He won't die instantly, anyway. I'll simply get the secret from him and then leave him to suffer."

"We don't have to necessarily attack with the bugs," Akira countered. "I can easily stop the remaining ninjas once they reach the border."

"I'm sure you can, but I've worked on this for such a long time," the Raikage said, smiling sadistically. "I have to test out my lovely creations."

"But… this is _the_ bug. It obliterates the mind."

"Let's not be so melodramatic. These bugs will only start nibbling at the brain after a few days," said the Raikage, chuckling maliciously. "Until then, the victim will suffer terribly from splitting headaches and hallucinations and constant vomiting of blood and food. Eventually, the bug paralyses the body. Then the bug will ruin the body's natural defence, making it impossible to fight off the tiniest bacteria. Then those petty little ninjas from Konoha will know not to meddle. No one dares to defy me or my power!"

"No one does, Father."

"Good."

"Then why—"

"I'm reinforcing that!" Masaru roared. "Those idiots need to know where they stand."

"They're only trying to fight for their country." In a quieter voice, she added, "They don't deserve to die like that."

"Are you letting your past relations affect your performance?" Standing up, the Raikage approached her daughter and grabbed her by the chin. "Akira, what do I always say?"

"I don't care about my teammates. I left them, didn't I?" Akira cried, her voice rising. "But this isn't about knowing them! I think you're going too far. Konoha is clearly suffering enough as it is. They deceived you so many years ago! You got a body back, didn't you? Why are you—"

A sharp slap resounded in the air.

For a long while, no one in the room spoke and simply stared at the two; first at the infuriated Raikage, and then at the shocked daughter.

"Do not lecture me," Masaru warned in his raspy voice. "I will release these bugs and you cannot—no, you do not have the _right_ to overturn my decision. You will obediently do as I say and follow these men and bring Neji and Tenten back to me, unharmed. Understand?"

Akira stared at her father squarely in the eye, clenching her teeth as hard as she could to prevent lashing out and strangling her own father. He did not treat her like a daughter. He didn't love her—he only wanted her for her powers. Years ago, he took her in because she possessed the Suzuki bloodline limit. She and Tenten both possessed it, and her father only wanted them because he was selfish, avaricious and addicted to power.

"_You are my precious daughter, and I don't want you to be in the dark all the time. So I will work hard to find a jutsu that will break that seal."_

He said that to her many years ago when she first met him after her memory loss. Yet he didn't carry through with what he promised. Until recently, she didn't even know that Tenten—the target her father told her to find—was her own sister. She felt her fists clenching.

"_In return, can you stay here? I will take you under my wing and make you as strong as possible. Do you accept this offer?" _

She wished she had declined. She wished she hadn't left her teammates and her sensei. At the time, she believed that it was the right thing to do because she thought she needed to be with her father. She thought she belonged here because she didn't have a last name or an identity back in Konoha, whereas she was recognised as the Raikage's daughter in the land of lightning. She thought she had a place.

He spent hours every day teaching her new techniques and honing her skills. At the age of fourteen, she was able to defeat any Jounin; that made her so happy she believed it was only right to return any favour. She carried out every mission without a word, and soon she was known as the youngest but most ruthless and powerful Jounin. She was honoured by that title. She was sent on every difficult mission and she thought it was because she was her father's favourite.

She had thought nothing of his absence at home. He was the leader and therefore had a lot of work to do; she had convinced herself this when she had to sit with a nanny every night to eat. Yet there were countless times where she found out that her father had come home drunk. There were also many other times when he wouldn't let her go out. He also didn't bother to acknowledge her unless they were training.

She thought her father loved her but she was only his puppet. She was taught new techniques to become stronger to ultimately benefit him.

The seventeen year old clamped her eyes shut, fully aware of the stinging in her left cheek.

She hated him.

Was this why her mother had run away in the first place?

Of course it was, she realised. Her mother ran away because she wanted to get away from him, and she had sealed her daughters' memories altogether to give them a new life.

But here she was, back again under the control of her father—a father who did nothing but mocked her mother and used his daughters for power.

When she opened her eyes, her father was looking at her with narrowed eyes. "I said, do you understand?" he repeated lowly.

"No. I've done enough killing for you."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm not going to obey your orders," she said, but more firmly. "I don't agree with what you're doing. You're taking innocent lives just because you want to feel like you're the most powerful thing in the world. Well, you know what? You're not strong. You use me and everyone else to get what you want. You don't even treat me like a daughter. You don't care about me, so why should I care about what you say?"

The Raikage's lips pursed and pure fury surfaced in his dark brown eyes. "Repeat?"

"I don't need to repeat anything. You heard exactly what I said."

He inhaled so deeply out of anger his chest began to tremble. "Don't test my patience."

"I've done enough killing for you." She knew she was crossing the line but didn't care at this point. "You're a terrible father and an even more terrible leader. You have done nothing good for the land of lightning—"

"_KENBOUSHOU!_"

Even the passersby outside the tower could hear the piercing scream that followed.

* * *

"I believe it is time for us to sleep!" Lee announced. "It is dark! We must recharge our energy and rejuvenate our bodies!"

"I agree with bushy brows," Naruto said, slowing down. "We arrive there tomorrow. We have to put up a good fight."

"And it looks like it's going to rain," Tenten added. "We don't want to get caught in it."

"Right," Hiro agreed. He skidded to a stop on a thick branch belonging to a sturdy tree. "Let us rest here."

"We're not going to sleep on the ground again, are we?"

"We're going to sleep in the trees," Hiro answered after a moment of thinking. "Our presences will be less detectable and the leaves can also provide shelter if it starts to rain."

"Is everyone sleeping in the same tree?"

"No. We'll partner up. It'll be safer that way."

"I'm with Naruto!" Lee cried loudly, looping his arm around the blond's neck. "He and I have known each other for years!"

"Bushy brows, you've known Neji for even longer."

"But the dear Tenten has already claimed Neji!"

"I did?" Tenten asked instantly. She glanced at the Hyuuga prodigy. "If you don't want to—"

"I don't mind," Neji interposed, staring pointedly at the older Hyuuga. "That leaves our leader by himself."

"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I don't need another person with me."

"You can't handle having someone else near you."

"And why is that?"

"You will take advantage of them."

"Stop," Tenten cut in. "We're a team—"

"Exactly," Neji murmured, eyes still fixated upon the other Hyuuga. "Team members respect each other."

"You better watch—"

"I'm hungry," Naruto said suddenly to break up the awkward tension. "Let's go fishing!"

Hiro inhaled deeply and willed himself to keep his cool demeanour. He looked at the rest of the team. "That's a good idea. Tenten, Lee, find wood and start a fire. The rest of the team and I will catch some fish."

Tenten and Lee ran off in opposite directions to find fallen branches. The others sprinted eastwards, where a river was located. It wasn't particularly hard for Tenten to find suitable branches and twigs; the forest was very dense and contained many different species of trees. When she collected what she needed, she headed back to the site where Lee was waiting. He nodded satisfyingly when he spotted the variety of branches and bark in Tenten's arms.

"I already cleared the site. All our bags are in that tree over there," Lee said. "Now, give me all the tinder—shredded bark, dry pine needles and dry grasses."

"Sure," Tenten said, secretly glad that she had experience in building fires. "Do we have enough twigs?"

"I found lots."

The two worked efficiently, as if they had been teammates all their lives. Tenten had grown to be particularly fond of the green-clad boy; he was often too energetic and was a little too enthusiastic about the littlest things, but he was truly a nice and good person. He was also very honest about everything—from his fears to his feelings.

"And for a long while, I believed that Sakura-san was my soul mate," Lee was saying while arranging the firewood. "Even though she never accepted me, I always proclaimed my love for her every time I saw her."

"I think that's really sweet," Tenten replied genuinely. "It's great that you go after what you want."

"I never knew when to quit. I'm not much of a quitter!"

"I can see that," the kunoichi laughed, "but when was the turning point?"

"Her fourteenth birthday."

"What happened?"

"I had saved up my money to buy her a ring and, being the gracious person that she is, she accepted it and gave me a hug. However, Sasuke-kun only gave her a card and it made her cry. When I saw how she looked at him then, I realised she could never love me back." Lee looked down for a moment, but there was a tender smile gracing his lips. "I wasn't as hurt as I thought I would be. Then I realised that I never loved her; I never got the chance to know her. I only knew that she was smart and beautiful.

"I'll always think highly of Sakura-san and I'll always love her, in a way. But now I know the difference between puppy love and the real thing. I can't wait until I meet the right person, because then I can proclaim my love as loud as I want and let the world know how much passion and love I'm capable of having!"

"Whoever the girl is, she's very lucky," Tenten said honestly, smiling. "You want to know something, Lee? I never realised that ninjas could be so loving. I always thought that they were always training, cold and emotionless."

"That's your impression because you met Neji-kun first," Lee corrected. "We ninjas are still human. Even though we were taught to be emotionless during battle, we still possess a heart. I can still feel love and know it when I see a connection between two lovebirds. For example, I know that you and Neji-kun have something going on."

A tinge of pink surfaced on the kunoichi's cheeks. "What makes you say that?"

"Everyone thinks that."

There was a slight shrill to her voice. "Everyone?"

"Sure. You do like him, don't you?"

Tenten first considered denying it, but realised that she could never lie to someone as honest and kind as Lee. She paused—had she just admitted to herself that she liked Neji? "I think I do," she replied finally. "I don't know—I just like being around him. He's nice, he's smart, he's driven, and he even smells good—" She smiled meekly. "So that pretty much equals to a 'yes'."

"Good. You two go well together."

She glanced up and smiled. "You think so?"

"Of course! I've known him for as long as I can remember and I've never seen him like this—close to someone, I mean." He chuckled slightly. "I didn't think it was even possible. He always kept to himself. He never talked to people unless he was training or studying with them. That's the only reason why he put up with me at all."

Tenten laughed. "That's not true. You're very likeable, Lee."

"So are you, Tenten! That's why I approve of you and Neji being together!" He gave her a thumbs up and flashed her the biggest, most brilliant and blinding grin ever.

The brunette grinned back and they both went off to find more wood. However, even after they had gotten the fire going, Tenten found it incredibly hard to not beam or giggle at the thought of being a couple with Neji; she had to bite her lips to prevent a grin from spreading widely across her face. The urge to smile was even harder to resist when she saw the prodigy himself coming back. He was unbelievably attractive, even with no shoes on and his sleeves and pants rolled up. He brought back three fish, Hiro brought four, and Naruto seven.

"I like to catch fish on my spare time," Naruto explained as they were cooking their meal. "It's so fun to see them flopping when they're out of the water."

It was no surprise to anyone when Lee challenged Naruto to a fishing contest. "This will be an excellent training technique!"

"It's great for your reflexes!"

"I can't wait to tell Gai-sensei of this great challenge!"

The hopeful and energetic shouts and cries meandered on, until Hiro decided to end it by discussing the mission. "We don't know what to expect tomorrow," the leader of the pack said gravely. "The Raikage wants revenge after being deceived, but he might also want to target me since I have the Byakuugan."

"He might want to kill us both simply because he hates the Hyuuga clan," Neji said.

"He might want to kill us all because he hates Konoha," Lee said.

"Regardless," Hiro said, "there is one thing that we value, and that is the survival of Konoha. They have a disease that we aren't immune to. We were lucky last time; Sasuke, Shino and Kiba weren't as fortunate. We don't know what kept us healthy, but we do know that expelling chakra from every pore in our body will prevent the bugs from entering. We must be extremely prudent, especially now that we're nearing the land of lightning.

"It is likely that they will try to ambush us tomorrow. They know we're coming. Whether they want to kidnap or kill us, I don't know. However, at all costs, we must retrieve the antidote. If we are surrounded, we have to fight our hardest to let at least one person escape. We must always carry on, even it means abandoning an injured teammate. Is this clear?"

"Negative," Lee responded, eyes wide and determined. "We should never abandon a teammate if they're still alive."

"We must succeed. Ninjas die all the time."

"I agree with Lee," Tenten said softly. "Dying because your teammates abandoned you is not the same as in dying in battle."

"No matter what, someone is going to die. It's either us or all of Konoha." Hiro's eyes were cold and hard. "It's your choice."

"Then we just have to beat them all," Naruto concluded, punching his fist into his other hand. "Then we get the cure and no one has to die."

"If it were that easy," Neji said, his eyes solemn. "Tsunade-sama didn't send nine of us for no reason."

"She sent each of us for a reason, and that's because we kick ass!"

"Naruto is right!" Lee cried. "We all have sheer determination and perseverance and more! Tsunade-sama chose Sakura for her medical knowledge, Kiba and Shino for their abilities to track down people, Neji, Hiro, Sasuke, Naruto and I for our fighting abilities, and Tenten for her"—it took Lee a good moment or two—"for her loveliness!"

The brunette tried to smile kindly but inwardly felt more embarrassed than anything else. She knew what they were all thinking—why was she assigned this mission? Sure, there was a shortage of ninjas—that was the initial excuse. But then Sakura was sent, so there was no need for her to be there.

Neji must have noticed her crestfallen expression because then he said, "At least she's not a hindrance."

"Good," Hiro replied shortly.

"Maybe Tsunade-sama will hire Tenten officially as a ninja after this mission," Lee added encouragingly.

"If I make it out alive," the brunette said, managing a small smile. She almost wanted an assault to happen sooner because she wanted to prove that she was a worthy kunoichi. She wanted to be like the Hokage—strong, beautiful and respected.

"We all will," Naruto said cheerfully. "I believe that good things happen to good people."

"That is very true!" Lee insisted. "Now, who wants to stay awake this time?"

"I will," Neji said. "I don't mind."

No one protested against him, as they were all tired from a full day of travelling. They needed the sleep; last time they barely got any rest due to the invasion of bugs. Furthermore, it was a known fact that Neji slept extremely late and woke up before the crack of dawn. Not sleeping wasn't a big deal for the sixteen year old.

"Alert us if you see or hear something," Hiro ordered.

"Alright."

The leader of the pack stood up. "Now it's time to sleep. Neji, put out the fire."

"That won't be necessary," the younger Hyuuga replied. "I'm staying down here on the ground."

"You are?" Tenten asked, puzzled.

"You're not," Hiro said at the same time. "You're going to watch from the trees."

"No, I'm not. I'm staying on the lookout."

"That doesn't require you to be down here. Put out the fire. It will attract unnecessary attention."

"The fire keeps me warm."

Hiro exhaled sharply. "You're not staying down here. Your being here will only make it easier for the enemy to track us all down."

"It'll be easier for me to see the enemy from down here. If the bugs try to attack again, then I'll know firsthand and can alert the team. It'll be too late if we're all 'sleeping in the trees'." The corners of Neji's mouth uplifted when he saw Hiro looking baffled at the mockery.

"You have the Byakuugan," Hiro retorted. "Use it."

"You don't expect me to keep it activated throughout the night?"

Hiro pursed his lips. "Put out the fire."

"The fire keeps me warm. Besides, it will die out eventually."

"I am the leader. Do as I say."

"The leader is not always right."

Hiro's eyes narrowed. "Don't think for a moment that you can beat me, Hyuuga Neji."

"Having the upper hand means nothing. In fact, it will make victory for me that much more satisfying."

"Fine. If you're staying here, then Tenten sleeps with me," Hiro said triumphantly. "You won't mind, right—"

"I'm sleeping alone," Tenten announced instantly.

Neji smirked; Naruto snorted. "What a rejection!"

Hiro swerved around, grumbling, facing his back to the rest of the team. "Fine, do as you wish." He muttered something incoherent before disappearing into a nearby tree.

"Well, it's time to go bushy brows!" Naruto cried cheerfully. "Goodnight, you guys!"

"Goodnight my fellow youthful teammates!"

"Goodnight," Tenten replied, smiling.

All three ninjas dispersed, leaving the Hyuuga prodigy to gaze into the crackling fire.

* * *

The fifth Hokage watched the heavy rainfall from her window. As usual, she was in her office located in the right wing of Konoha's largest hospital; she couldn't remember the last time she had left the hospital to go home. Ever since the epidemic had broken out, she had never received more than three hours of sleep a night—and that was considered one of the better days. Lately she hadn't been sleeping at all. There were already very few doctors and nurses that were available to take care of the patients, but even they had fallen sick. Even some ninjas who were in tiptop shape had contracted the disease.

Tsunade sighed softly, bringing a bottle of sake to her lips. She had been coping with the stress by drinking alcohol, hence the many broken glass bottles in her garbage can. However, no matter how much alcohol she consumed, she could never fully escape the reality. No matter what, the fact still remained: she couldn't find a cure.

She could break her desk, smash bottles, or scream out of frustration, but she had already done all of that weeks ago. Was it really impossible to figure out this cure? She was Tsunade—she was known for her medical knowledge and ability to heal patients regardless of the injury or disease. Why was this particular problem so hard to solve?

There was a part of her that knew she was powerless in this situation. That was the only reason as to why she had resorted to risking a bunch of teenagers' lives; she could've sent her strongest men but she needed them at the moment because it was a known fact that Konoha was targeted by many countries. The older ninjas had to protect the weak population of Konoha, and the young ninjas had to find the cure to bring the population back to health.

At this point, she could only wait.

As the most influential person in Konoha, it was unnerving to simply wait for an antidote from a bunch of teenagers—or rather, Tenten. She knew that Tenten wasn't just an ordinary commoner. She had no last name and had no memories of her past, but she still had the ability to summon weapons. Most people weren't able to summon weapons until they were older and taught by specialists. Even at a young age, Tenten knew how to deal with weapons—that ability was unique to the Suzuki clan, which used to be a clan in Konoha. It was one of the more powerful clans until Suzuki Masaru decided to kill everyone in it. Since it happened over twenty years ago, Tenten, a sixteen year old, could only be the daughter of Masaru, the man who betrayed Konoha and became Raikage.

That was the only reason why Tenten was assigned the mission. She was in no way more qualified than any other ninja but she was the daughter of the Raikage. Tsunade had no idea as to how things would turn out, but she prayed that Tenten would somehow obtain the cure.

The fifty something year old woman eyed the sake once again, deciding she needed another drink. However, before she could drain the bottle of its contents, she felt a strange burning and itchy sensation in her throat—something that wasn't induced by the alcohol. She hunched over and began to cough uncontrollably.

Tsunade then threw her head backwards, inhaling and exhaling deeply. Her body could not take much more. With every passing moment her skin was growing noticeably more translucent and wrinkly and her veins were more prominent than ever. Her hands were shaking, her head was pounding but most of all her pants were stained with flecks of blood.

* * *

_"Tenten, you're a natural with weapons!"_

_"Thanks, nee-chan! I learn from the best!" She cocked her head sideways and grinned at her sister, who was standing in the shade. "Nee-chan, when are we going to eat? I'm starting to get hungry." _

"_I'm hungry too, but Father says that we can only eat after we train for six hours. He says that we must train very hard to become the strongest. And then, when we inherit the power from our clan, we will be invincible!"_

"_Why?"_

_The sky went from a light blue to a dark purple; clouds grew darker and murkier. Immediately, lightning splintered across the sky. Tenten could faintly make out the outline of a dragon in the lightning bolt. Then, a deep, raspy voice resounded in the air, echoing all around her. "Because I will gain ultimate power!" _

"_Masaru," a woman pleaded, "please, don't be like this." _

"_Sora, why are you trying to stop me? I'm doing this for us!" _

"_Our daughters are not just some tools! They—"_

_There was a deafening crack—both resembling a whip and thunder—and then a piercing scream. _

Tenten's snapped wide open. She was breathing heavily, her heart was pounding against her chest and her thoughts were completely jumbled.

It took her a moment to be fully aware of her surroundings. There was the faint sound of crickets in the background. It was quite windy and the cold winter air was a little too chilly for her liking. She was currently perched on a branch, which wasn't the most comfortable thing she had ever sat on, and her back was against the tree trunk. Above her was nothing but leaves and branches, and there was a bit of moonlight peeking through.

She took in deep and long breaths, willing herself to stay calm and relaxed. There had to be a reason as to why she was having such frequent flashbacks; was the seal completely wearing off? Or was she nearing the place she came from? And why did she dream of Masaru and Sora? Weren't they just characters from a fairytale? Or was Masaru her—

That couldn't be it.

It hurt her head to piece things together, so she stopped thinking about her past altogether. The truth would come up eventually.

She glanced downwards and smiled at the sight of Neji. His back was facing her but he was clearly awake; no sleeping person would be sitting so upright. The fire was still going on. It must have provided warmth, she thought, and she suddenly longed to be near the flames. She wanted to go down, because that also meant being closer to Neji. She almost wished that the prodigy wasn't on the lookout, so she could share the same tree as him. Having him next to her would make her predicament a lot more comfortable. She didn't know why, but he just made her feel at ease. She would be able to talk to him, she would feel safer…

She smiled softly as she gazed down at the Hyuuga prodigy. She never realised how much she liked being around him. Did he like having her around? Probably not. He had made that very clear from the beginning, she remembered with a frown. Why would he like her, anyways? She wasn't half as strong or smart or even good-looking as he was.

"Is something wrong, Tenten?"

If it weren't for her quick reflexes, Tenten would've fallen straight from the tree. Did he know that she had been staring at him? Was he using his Byakuugan? Despite her attempt to maintain a calm demeanour, she could only manage a meek grin and a shrug of the shoulders. How long had she been staring? More importantly, how long did Neji wait before asking her?

"You had a nightmare."

"How did you know?" Tenten replied quietly, in fear of waking the others.

"You made sounds of discomfort. I figured it wouldn't be long until you woke up."

Tenten suppressed a scoff. Was there something that he didn't know?

"Would you like to come down?"

Wordlessly, Tenten expertly undid the knot that tied her to the tree. She jumped and landed gracefully. "So what have you been doing the entire time?"

"Scanning the area," he replied. And sure enough, when he turned to look at her, his Byakuugan was activated. The veins shortly disappeared and he closed his eyes. "There isn't anyone within a thousand metre radius."

"Your Byakuugan has that kind of range?"

"It's improved. When I was thirteen, I only had a fifty metre range."

Was there something that he couldn't do? Smiling slightly, she sat next to him, leaning against the tree. She brought her knees up to chest, hugging them and appreciating that Neji had fought to keep the fire going. Despite the fact that the seasons were starting to change, it was still a cold winter night. "So tomorrow's the big day," she said casually.

"You sound almost excited," Neji said, an eyebrow elevated.

"Well, it's best to stay positive."

"Not everything is going to run smoothly."

"Like reuniting with your former teammate?"

"She's nothing more than a stranger," he said in a lower voice, turning his head to look at the fire. The flames grew and shrunk in accordance with the wind, but the warmth remained unaffected. "I won't hesitate to kill her."

"That's not true," Tenten said.

"How can you assume that?"

"You're not heartless," she replied gently. "Tell me about her."

Neji's eyes flickered, but they remained fixated upon the fire. "Why are you interested?"

"I heard you and Lee mentioning her this morning." She shrugged lightly. "It's not like there's anything else to do."

"Go ask Lee."

"He's asleep!"

"You should be too."

"What about you?"

"I'm on the lookout."

"Well, so am I as of this moment." Tenten smiled triumphantly when Neji didn't reply. "I know that she was your and Lee's former teammate."

"We were on a mission and she abandoned us."

"Do you feel betrayed now?"

Neji raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Knowing that she's behind the epidemic," the brunette clarified. "Akira also pretended to be Mikya and tried to kill you—"

"Yes."

"Then why do you pretend like you don't care about her?"

"I'm not pretending."

"You said that she's like a stranger to you, but that's impossible if you feel betrayed. You do care."

Neji frowned, unable to respond.

"You don't entirely hate her either," Tenten stated gently, smiling slightly. "You miss her."

"I don't," Neji replied. His eyes were hard. "There is nothing I loathe more than betrayers."

"You hate that she betrayed you."

His eyes flickered and he looked away. "I considered her a friend."

The edges of Tenten's eyes softened. "Why did you consider her as a friend?"

His eyes were distant as he stared at the dying fire. The flames were barely alive. "She was the only other sane person on the team. She and I trained together whenever Lee and Gai-sensei were off on their insane quest to run around Konoha twenty times." He turned to glance at her. "She was the one that helped me perfect the Kaiten."

"How?"

"She dealt with weapons."

Tenten didn't quite know why his tone had suddenly changed.

"She had the ability to create an illusion so realistic I couldn't see through it, even with the Byakuugan."

"What did this illusion do?"

"It makes you think that there are millions of weapons being launched at once when in reality, there are only a few headed towards your head and heart. I was rather frightened when she first developed that kind of genjutsu," he admitted. "The illusion itself was very subtle and hard to detect—I never knew when I was trapped in it. Every weapon seemed real."

"That's why you ended up using the Kaiten—"

"It deflects everything," Neji finished, nodding. "She was a good partner when it came to sparring. She had uncanny accuracy and she never quit." Now that he thought about it, Tenten and Akira were eerily similar. "She was very much like you. She was stubborn."

Tenten smiled awkwardly. She didn't know whether that was a compliment or not.

"We were sent on a mission to escort an ambassador from Konoha to the land of lightning. Due to the political power of this man, various people were after him. Our mission was to escort him to the land of lightning, get a treaty signed and then take him back to Konoha safely.

"The Raikage was particularly opposed to the signing of this treaty, but he didn't have complete control over political affairs."

"So in order to prevent the ambassador from signing the treaty," Tenten deduced, "the Raikage decided to kill him."

Neji nodded. "He had sent out his men to attack us somewhere near the border of his country. Lee, Gai-sensei and I were fighting the men off—Akira was protecting the ambassador and trying to find an alternate route. She ran off with the ambassador on her back, yet two men escaped and followed her shortly.

"Gai-sensei and Lee told me to help Akira because there was no way she could outrun them with a man on her back. So I entered the land of lightning to find Akira, despite not knowing her or the ambassador's whereabouts. I feared that she was facing a group of ninjas by herself." He gave one short laugh. "I ended up finding her and the ambassador in the Raikage's office. I had gone up there because I wanted to see if the Raikage could send out a search party. Isn't that ironic?"

Tenten simply nodded slightly.

His eyes had a rough edge to them. "I didn't know that the Raikage was after the ambassador until I saw him personally snapping the man's neck."

"Did anybody else know?"

"Nobody knew that he wanted the ambassador dead. If the Hokage had known that in the first place, he would've sent out ANBU members. We thought that only minor interest groups would be protesting against this treaty."

"So what happened next?"

"The Raikage ordered Akira to kill me."

Tenten's eyes widened. "Why?"

"I had witnessed the murder and he didn't want anybody to know that he had killed the important ambassador."

"And she actually carried out his orders?"

"Yes," he replied, expressionless face lit by the warm, flickering fire.

"Who won?"

"She did."

Tenten remained silent for a while, and she was suddenly aware of the sleeping figures around them. Were they awake but secretly eavesdropping? The entire forest seemed still. In a quieter voice, she asked, "do you know why she suddenly changed sides?"

"The Raikage is her father."

Tenten gaped slightly. "Wait… but that doesn't make sense. Why would she be in Konoha if her father was the Raikage?"

"She never knew her parents—or rather, she had no recollection of them. At the age of ten, she found herself in Konoha. She started her own life but she wanted nothing more than to know her parents, her family. The Raikage must have used this to his advantage when he captured her."

The kunoichi narrowed her eyes slightly. Was there something else that she should know?

"She left our team that night. She had never contacted us since. However, she did come back a few months ago as an imposter."

"She was following her father's orders," Tenten said slowly. "It's understandable."

"That she decided to betray Konoha once more?" His fists tightened. "To think that she was previously my teammate."

Tenten was still not quite fully processing the information. It felt so much more than someone else's story; she felt like she had a place in this all, or she was at least related to the situation. There was something about Neji's tone, something about the way he described Akira… Why was the mentioning of the Raikage so odd and unusually peculiar? It felt like it struck a nerve, or a deep chamber of her brain… It suddenly hit her.

Was she related to Akira?

She blinked quickly, unable to fully grasp that concept because her head began to pound. Did that mean that her father was the Raikage? Suddenly, a vision flashed in her mind, briefly but vividly.

"_But daddy, you're the Raikage! You have all the power in the world!"_

"_Not yet, Tenten…"_

As quickly as the voices appeared, they disappeared. There wasn't much to decipher, but it was enough to piece things together.

"Impossible," Tenten inaudibly whispered.

"She tried to kill me again. Next time I see her, I will return the favour." Finally, he stopped and looked at the brunette next to him. He hadn't planned to confront her like this; he didn't know how the conversation had swerved from the topic of Akira to Tenten's identity. However, at this point, the truth was clear as day. He knew and she knew and there was nothing more to it.

There was a long, uncomfortable silence. Finally, Tenten said, "you knew."

"I realised a few days ago. You used a technique on me that was unique to the Suzuki clan." When he was met with silence yet again, he said, "I thought you knew."

"I would tell you, wouldn't I?"

There was a momentary pause before Neji conducted an answer. "I wouldn't expect you to tell me."

"Why not?" Tenten demanded.

"Because you are the daughter of Konoha's enemy."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Tenten didn't know whether to be happy that she finally knew who she was, or sad that she was the sister and daughter of the people that Neji despised. In fact, she didn't know why the truth hadn't hit her any harder—she thought that her entire life had always revolved around her mission to find her parents. It was almost as if she was bracing for the biggest fall of her life only to realise that there was no cliff at all. She had been living her entire life without her identity; in a way, knowing her family all of a sudden didn't affect her life. She honestly didn't care about the fact that she was basically on her way to meet her family; she could only focus on the way Neji looked and talked about Akira and Masaru. What were his intentions when he started the conversation? What was he saying about her? He said that she and Akira were similar. And he hated Akira.

Tenten shut her eyes, swallowing hard.

"Does this mean that you hate me?" she asked softly.

The fire in the middle had long died out. There was no warmth anymore and for some reason her throat felt thick and tight—clenched even. She heard the rustling of clothing and a bit of shuffling. She opened her eyes to see Neji sitting in front of her. His pearly eyes bored intensely into hers.

"No," he said, a strange sort of fierceness lacing his voice. "Why would you even think that?"

"You said that I was similar to her, and—"

"I decided that it didn't matter who you're related to."

Tenten didn't know what to say; her breath was caught simply hearing his voice.

"You and Akira physically look alike, as do all siblings. You have the same techniques and you are both stubborn. However, Akira didn't talk much. You, on the other hand…" Neji chuckled slightly. "You never seem to shut up, no matter how many times I tell you to."

Tenten didn't know whether to cry or laugh in relief. "You're such a—I don't even know what to classify you as anymore, Hyuuga Neji."

"Verbosity is not a bad thing," he said quickly when she smacked him lightly on the arm. "It's not like I don't enjoy your company."

The brunette was ready to retort and fire a clever comeback when she registered his words. She felt evasive heat spreading through her cheeks, but was secretly thankful that it was undetectable in the dark. She then closed her eyes, sighed and said, "I'm hurt that you didn't tell me right away."

"That was a lack of judgment on my part," Neji replied, somewhat apologetically. "I should've told you before you agreed to the mission."

"Why, because you think that I would've changed my mind about the mission? I don't care if the enemy is my biological father. It's not like I'm any different just because I know who I'm related to—I'll still fight for the cure. I won't betray the team and run off to be with my father." The edges of Tenten's eyes softened. "I could never leave you. That's another difference between me and Akira."

Neji's mouth opened slightly, as if he was going to say something, but nothing came out.

"I hope you know that, Neji." Tenten smiled. "I care too much about you."

A gentle breeze blew against the trees, and for a long while Tenten stared at the moon. She remembered comparing the moon to Neji's eyes once, long ago when she had first met him. She had thought that like the moon, Neji's eyes were extremely beautiful but still had craters. He was rude, cynical, and he always had a bitter look on his face.

She realised she couldn't see those flaws anymore.

Had she really fallen for him? She was so convinced all along that she cared for him like any other friend, but she wasn't attracted to her friends in the same way she was to Neji. In fact, she couldn't imagine not being attracted to him. There was something incredibly irresistible about his cool demeanour, his sharp movements, the way he woke up every day to train…

She almost laughed at herself. She sounded just like a silly girl who adored him for his good looks. Not that he wasn't good-looking, but there was so much more to him. He also had a heart, despite his cold, exterior self. He was capable of saying the rudest, most hurtful insults yet he was also capable of uplifting her spirits. Previous experiences have left him untrusting and the wall he put up was understandable. If only he could see how truly amazing he was.

"Tenten," he said suddenly, quietly.

Said brunette turned to stare into the most beautiful pair of lavender eyes. "Hm?"

"I care about you as well."

He looked so genuine and earnest that the brunette was suddenly at loss for words. Her heart was swelling indescribably and the corners of her mouth were magically uplifted. She was more aware of their proximity than ever; their shoulders were barely brushing but she felt her entire body tingling. She never broke their gaze—she couldn't, rather, because she was so gravitated towards him. She couldn't stop staring at his eyes, and then back at his lips; he had enticing lips. Tenten felt an unbelievably strong urge to simply pounce on him and run her hands through his hair—

"GOOD MORNING MY YOUTHFUL TEAMMATES!"

The cry from an overly energetic Lee made them spring apart. Tenten felt her face growing beet red from embarrassment; had Lee been spying on them? Meanwhile, Neji looked away from everyone, shuffling his hands uncomfortably and slightly grumbling from annoyance. "Lee, shut the hell up."

"BUT I WANT TO WAKE UP BEFORE DAWN!"

"Are you kidding me?" Hiro muttered, rubbing his eyes. It was still dark out. "It's been five hours."

"And that is sufficient," Lee cried, a little less loud. "Tsunade-sama told us that we must hurry."

"She also told us to rest properly. People who are deprived of sleep are more prone to catching this highly contagious disease."

"We just have to be extra careful," Tenten said finally. "We can rest after we get the antidote. Let's go."

"That is the spirit, my beautiful Tenten! Now, are we men inferior to such the beautifully strong spirit that is Tenten?"

"Shut up," Neji muttered, standing up. He walked over Naruto, who was the only one sleeping. The blond was still curled up on the ground. "Someone wake this idiot up."

"I'll do that," Lee offered. He carried Naruto off the ground and promptly threw him into a bush. Naruto recovered instantly, poking his head through a pile of leaves. "Hey! Why was our nap so short?"

"We have to leave instantly! Today is the day we enter the land of lightning." Lee pumped his fist into the air. "We can do this! Now everyone, let's get ready! Put your hands in the middle! We shall do a hearty cheer to pump us up!"

"No," Tenten answered immediately.

"Idiot," Hiro and Neji muttered.

"Bushy brows!" Naruto finally shouted. "Let's just go!"

**A/N:** Honestly, I don't like how this chapter ended but I figured it's been waaaaay too long since I last updated. (My sincere apologies!) Originally, I had wanted this chapter to cover the entire mission but as you can see, that was a big fail haha. Anyhow, school starts for me tomorrow (any advice for an eleventh grader?) and I still haven't finished my summer reading. Okay, well, in my defence, it's pretty damn hard to read four classics when you're on vacation. I do love reading and all but come on… now I have to go and speed read. Yay.

But before I go, I would like to say a big THANK YOU to all my readers, especially to those who review and/or message me. It's really heart-warming to know that you take time out of your day to read and review my story—you guys have no idea how much that means to me. So thank you, really. :)

Love always,  
Chigiri Sasaki


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